ABSTRACT

The aim of this book is twofold: to examine the theory and practice of environ - mental management (EM) from a critical perspective, and to explore emerging directions that may improve EM and shape more sustainable futures. Our intent is not to examine environmental management in a comprehensive or exhaustive way – that would be beyond the scope of this monograph. The discussion is more selective, focusing on a limited number of themes, issues and prospects. Our motivation is straightforward. In our experience teaching courses that address environmental management, we have identified a key shortcoming in the literature: most of it can be described as conventional or mainstream (or else overly technical), and relatively little of it could be described as critical or alternative. The alternative literature that could inform new approaches to environmental management lurks largely unnoticed in places that have been generally regarded to be outside of the field as conventionally defined. In practice, important insights, ideas and experiences that could influence the field of EM can originate from anywhere across the spectrum of the natural or social sciences, arts or humanities, rather than primarily or only from “environmental” literature, theory and practice. Ideas that may seem peripheral at present may turn out to be influential or even transformative. It is therefore necessary to explore EM in a critical, provocative manner, and ask new, difficult questions about its purpose and its future directions.