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From Green Principles to Politics
- Author(s):
- Peter Critchley (see profile)
- Date:
- 2011
- Subject(s):
- Philosophy, Politics and government, Sociology, Ecology
- Item Type:
- Book
- Tag(s):
- Political ecology, Politics, Social theory
- Permanent URL:
- http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/gwms-4t41
- Abstract:
- Arguing that a principled standpoint is a condition for any person or movement seeking to effect real social change, this book foregrounds social and environmental justice as against economic imperatives based on accumulation, profit and endless growth. This book argues that the reality of environmental crisis and the prospect of future social transformation challenges our science and our values. The book examines the key questions within the many-sided predicament concerning the factors influencing environmental change and how to respond to that change: How is nature conceived and how should nature be conceived? What should human beings do and how should human beings act? What are the objects and what principles should action be guided by? In putting these questions the paper is concerned to relate Green politics not only to the scientific analysis of the environmental crisis but above all to moral, cultural and psychological states and attitudes. The goal of an inclusive environmentalism involves a re-thinking of ethics, one capable of integrating a diversity of social movements in a common moral cause. These observations are shown to point to the need to embed a cognitive praxis within the institutional framework of government and politics so that actions and outcomes are more closely connected, greater cooperation and coordination is achieved between actors, greater clarity is expressed with regard to decision making results, and insight into long term ends comes to inform short term choices. This makes the affirmation of ecological and social capacity building as at least a much a part of Green politics as campaigns for votes and office. This argument is developed in terms of concepts and values, mentalities and modalities, which allow for a plurality of meanings, institutions and practices which are adaptable in face of new developments and unforeseen events — and which also facilitate positive and coherent responses to change.
- Metadata:
- xml
- Published as:
- Book
- Status:
- Published
- Last Updated:
- 4 years ago
- License:
- All Rights Reserved
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green-politics-from-principle-to-practice.doc