Foundations of social ecological economics: The fight for revolutionary change in economic thought

This book explores radical dissent from orthodox mainstream economics, and sets out a theoretically grounded vision for the emerging paradigm of social ecological economics. At the heart of this paradigmatic shift lies an acknowledgement of the inextricable embeddedness of economies in biophysical reality and social structure. The struggle for this transformative vision unfolds through a critical examination of mainstream environmental thought, followed by a nuanced evaluation of contributions from Marxists, socialists, critical institutionalists, feminists and Post-Keynesians grappling with the urgent environmental crisis. Synthesising insights from these diverse and heterodox schools, the book navigates the philosophical underpinnings of science, embracing a critical realist approach that challenges not only mainstream economic thought but also eclectic pluralism, relativism and strong constructionism. The question of what constitutes revolutionary science is explored in light of works by Kuhn, Schumpeter and Neurath, emphasising the pivotal role of values and ideology in works from Marx to Gramsci. Building on these radical and philosophical foundations, the book articulates a preanalytic vision of social ecological economics, dismantling entrenched notions of growth and efficiency in favour of a framework centered on social provisioning and needs embedded in ethics. In a thought-provoking conclusion, the book applies its analytical lens to the multiple crises of modernity within industrialised capital-accumulating economies. An agenda for social ecological transformation toward diverse alternative economies emerges, providing a compelling call to action in the face of contemporary challenges. Social ecological economics is an emerging paradigm that combines critical social science with realism to offer a radical theoretically grounded alternative economics based on ethical social provisioning to meeting needs. The foundations of the approach include its radical roots, philosophical presuppositions and preanalytic vision. Both mainstream and heterodox economics Marxism, feminism, institutionalism, Post Keynesianism are critically reviewed highlighting the lack of attention to the combined social and environmental crises. The potentiality and means for integration of knowledge across heterodox thought is explored and explicitly addressed. The author tackles the failures of the mainstream economic orthodoxy and its dissenting apologists. The book justifies radical structural change, how this can be achieved and where this takes us in terms of establishing an alternative to capitalist focussed economics for sustaining and developing alternative social-ecological economies. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of figures and tables Preface Part I: Radical foundations 1 Historical foundations and foundational conflicts 2 Addressing the environmental crisis: Orthodox versus heterodox economics Part II: Philosophical foundations 3 Issues in history and philosophy of science with implications for economics 4 The philosophical basis for advancing knowledge in ecological economics 5 Revolutionary transformative science Part III: Social ecological economic foundations 6 Reorienting to social ecological economics: The preanalytic vision 7 Integration of social, ecological and economic knowledge 8 Clarifying division and seeking unity 9 An alternative economics for alternative economies References Index