ABSTRACT
This chapter is a comparative evaluation of the frameworks of “political ecology” and “sustainability science” in terms of their capacity to understand and address dynamic human–environmental interactions (also referred to as human–environmental relations, or human–natural systems), including those related to global environmental change. This assessment includes a brief intellectual history of “political ecology” within the context of significant shifts and transformations in social science approaches to understanding human–environmental relations in the Post World War II period. Among earlier approaches to this field are “human ecology” and “cultural ecology”; more recent frameworks include “political ecology” and “sustainability science.” The chapter points out several important trends, especially those related to the emergence and considerable expansion of “political ecology” as a dominant approach to the study of human–environmental relations. Although political ecology has flourished, its intellectual coherence as a field of study and its potential scholarly contribution have been the subject of contentious debate. Several serious issues remain unresolved. Despite continuing questions, we contend that recent trends in studies of human–environmental relations present both a window of opportunity and a challenge to social scientists engaged in such efforts. A key purpose of this chapter is to explore ways to enhance the participation of social scientists in the new paradigm of “sustainability science.”
