Conclusion : Towards a ‘Deep Debate’ on the Anthropocene

Summary, in English

In this edited volume, we explored the contributions that political science as a discipline can offer to the evolving Anthropocene debate. The term Anthropocene denotes a new geological epoch in the Earth’s history in which humans have become the main drivers of planetary-wide changes. Some authors interpret this as good news, pointing to progress as a result of human ingenuity and the endless possibilities of managing the Earth system for the sake of human benefits. Others have argued that the notion of the Anthropocene constitutes a wake-up call for humanity to act in the light of scientific evidence which is indicating fundamental and irreversible state shifts in the various interrelated ecosystems of our planet. Against this background, we seek for a ‘deep debate’ on the Anthropocene in the sense of providing sound disciplinary insights to an interdisciplinary exchange. We have addressed two fundamental questions in this book: (1) What is the contribution of political science to the Anthropocene debate, e.g., in terms of identified problems, answers and solutions? (2) What are the conceptual and practical implications of the Anthropocene debate for the discipline of political science?

• Author: Thomas Hickmann; Lena Partzsch; Philipp Pattberg; Sabine Weiland
• Publishing year: 2019
• Language: English
• Pages: 237-251
• Publication/Series: The Anthropocene Debate and Political Science
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781351174121-14
• Document type: Book chapter
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Topic: Social Sciences Interdisciplinary; Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalization Studies)
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISBN: 9780815386148; ISBN: 9781351174114