Abstract
When the connection between economy and ecology is discussed this is often done, either as a question of establishing a link between two separate modes of knowledge, or as a definition of the overlap of two partially similar domains of understanding. In fact none of these two models provides sufficient explanation power to allow for a picture which is broad enough. First of all we are not talking about two homogeneous domains of understanding. There are several “economies” as well as “ecologies”. This holds true both with regard to focus of interest, for example along the micro-macro dimension, as well as for more basic assumptions underlying the various theories such as views of evolution, the role of information etc. In addition, the connection between ecologies and economies as an overlapping pluralistic area of intersecting connections is highly dependent on the contextual framework. This context has many facets, not the least a theory of science context dealing with topics such as what is considered a scientific issue, and how it should be treated. There is also a sociology of knowledge related to the internal value structures of the various disciplinary constituencies which are involved. This framework could be generalized to the overall social context within which basic value issues and their socio-economic and cultural impacts need to be addressed. In all these cases the concepts of the economy-ecology intersect, which for example could be “nature”, “the environment” or “natural resources”, are in most cases in themselves contextually dependent entities.
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Svedin, U. (1991). The Contextual Features of the Economy-Ecology Dialogue. In: Folke, C., Kåberger, T. (eds) Linking the Natural Environment and the Economy: Essays from the Eco-Eco Group. Ecology, Economy & Environment, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6406-3_1
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