Overview

The response of the international community to the pressing socio-ecological problems has been framed around the concept of ‘sustainable development’. The ecological pressure, however, has continued to rise and mainstream sustainability discourse has proven to be problematic. It contains an instrumental view of the world, a strong focus on technological solutions, and the premise that natural and human-made ‘capitals’ are substitutable. This trajectory, which is referred to as ‘weak sustainability’, reproduces inequalities, denies intrinsic values in nature, and jeopardises the wellbeing of humans as well as other beings. Based on the assumptions of strong sustainability, this edited book presents practical and theoretical alternatives to today’s unsustainable societies. It investigates and advances pathways for humanity that are ecologically realistic, ethically inclusive, and receptive to the task’s magnitude and urgency. The book challenges the traditional anthropocentric ethos and ontology, economic growth-dogma, and programmes of ecological modernisation. It discusses options with examples on different levels of analysis, from the individual to the global, addressing the economic system, key sectors of society, alternative lifestyles, and experiences of local communities. Examining key topics including human–nature relations and wealth and justice, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environmental and development studies, ecological economics, environmental governance and policy, sustainable business, and sustainability science.

Full Product Details

9780815387220

Table of Contents

Reviews

The relation between humanity and the planet in the past has very largely been one of indifference and exploitation. Strongly Sustainable Societies: Organising Human Activities on a Hot and Full Earth proposes practical and theoretical alternatives to today's unsustainable societies. The book should be read widely, by activists, scholars and policy makers. -- Stewart Clegg, Professor, University of Technology Sydney Business School, Australia This book impressively underlines the urgency for humanity to take decisive action for getting onto the path of truly sustainable development. Thought-provoking and inspiring, it discusses avenues for a radical turn towards sustainability, embracing public policy, business, society as well as human consciousness and behaviour. -- Stefan Gold, Professor, University of Kassel, Germany Strong sustainability summarises the critical features of the change of course needed for global society to face up to environmental crisis. If you want to get a clear idea about what strong sustainability involves, then explore this volume! -- Yrjoe Haila, Professor (emeritus), University of Tampere, Finland Karl Bonnedahl and Pasi Heikkurinen present an insightful set of chapters on achieving a sustainable world through changes to ethics, economic markets, public policy and business entrepreneurship. All contributing authors present new ideas on how to advance strong sustainability across continents, developed and developing countries, including Brazil, China, Finland, and USA. -- Ashly Pinnington, Dean of Research and Professor, The British University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates Books about sustainability are awash. In this edited volume, we meet transformative practices, including rights of nature and permaculture, that may actually have a positive impact ahead. Reading these ideas in the context of critical scholarship provide both the need for and the example of strong sustainability that might actually save the planet from burning. -- Martin Hultman, Associate Professor, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden Strongly Sustainable Societies is one of those rare books that manages to be both intellectually rigorous and yet still challenges the status quo in a fundamental way. Population, wealth, and technology are all addressed, and are connected to our present sustainability crisis. Timely and important-yes, urgent-this book needs to be read by all those concerned about our long-term survival. -- David Skrbina, Senior Lecturer, University of Michigan, USA What a fantastic rainbow of practical and theoretical alternatives to a nice but misleading oxymoron: sustainable development! It is simple, economic growth is not compatible with environmental sustainability. The question then becomes: how do we manage without growth? This book takes us forward towards sustainable and just societies. -- Federico Demaria, Researcher, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Strong sustainability summarises the critical features of the change of course needed for global society to face up to environmental crisis. If you want to get a clear idea about what strong sustainability involves, then explore this volume! -- Yrjoe Haila, Professor (emeritus), Environmental Policy, University of Tampere, Finland Books about sustainability are awash. In this edited volume, we meet transformative practices, including rights of nature and permaculture, that may actually have a positive impact ahead. Reading these ideas in the context of critical scholarship provide both the need for and the example of strong sustainability that might actually save the planet from burning. -- Martin Hultman, Associate professor in technology, science and environmental studies, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden What a fantastic rainbow of practical and theoretical alternatives to a nice but misleading oxymoron: sustainable development! It is simple, economic growth is not compatible with environmental sustainability. The question then becomes: how do we manage without growth? This book takes us forward towards sustainable and just societies. -- Federico Demaria, Researcher, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Author Information

Karl Johan Bonnedahl, Senior Lecturer / Associate Professor, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Sweden. Pasi Heikkurinen, Lecturer, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, UK.

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