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Social-ecological resilience and the quest for sustainability as object of science

Author

Listed:
  • Walter Alfredo Salas-Zapata

    (University of Antioquia
    Ciudad Universitaria)

  • Leonardo Alberto Ríos-Osorio

    (University of Antioquia)

  • Jorge Antonio Mejía-Escobar

    (University of Antioquia)

Abstract

The term ‘sustainability science’ has been employed to refer to a scientific trend, movement or program aimed at studying problems related to human–nature interactions. However, since it does not have its own set of principles for knowledge building and lack of a definition of a study object, sustainability science is not a science, at least in the usual sense of the word. A study object is the conceptual delimitation of the problems tackled by a science, and therefore, its search in the context of a science of sustainability requires exploring different notions of sustainability. This article presents different perspectives on the concept of sustainability and analyzes the viability to assume them as study object of sustainability science. Such exploration demands concepts based on a processual ontology that directs the researcher toward the dynamic, historic and temporal and social-ecological character of problems of unsustainability. The concept of social-ecological resilience seems to comply with such requirements.

Suggested Citation

  • Walter Alfredo Salas-Zapata & Leonardo Alberto Ríos-Osorio & Jorge Antonio Mejía-Escobar, 2017. "Social-ecological resilience and the quest for sustainability as object of science," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 2237-2252, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:19:y:2017:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-016-9852-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-016-9852-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Levin, Simon A. & Barrett, Scott & Aniyar, Sara & Baumol, William & Bliss, Christopher & Bolin, Bert & Dasgupta, Partha & Ehrlich, Paul & Folke, Carl & Gren, Ing-Marie & Holling, C.S. & Jansson, Annma, 1998. "Resilience in natural and socioeconomic systems," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 221-262, May.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    3. Claro, Danny Pimentel & Laban Neto, Silvio Abrahão & de Oliveira Claro, Priscila Borin, 2013. "Sustainability drivers in food retail," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 365-371.
    4. Laurence S. Moss, 2003. "Editor's Introduction," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 315-318, April.
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    6. Hansson, Sven Ove, 2010. "Technology and the notion of sustainability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 274-279.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fabio Zagonari, 2019. "Responsibility, inequality, efficiency, and equity in four sustainability paradigms: insights for the global environment from a cross-development analytical model," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2733-2772, December.
    2. Fabio Zagonari, 2020. "Comparing Religious Environmental Ethics to Support Efforts to Achieve Local and Global Sustainability: Empirical Insights Based on a Theoretical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-36, March.

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