Journal of Political Ecology
Scope & Guideline
Championing Open Access Research for a Sustainable Future
Introduction
Aims and Scopes
- Political Ecology Frameworks:
The journal employs political ecology as a central framework, analyzing the interplay between ecological systems and human socio-political structures, particularly in the context of environmental justice and governance. - Decolonization and Indigenous Knowledge:
A consistent focus on decolonizing environmental practices and integrating Indigenous knowledge systems, highlighting the importance of local and marginalized voices in ecological discourses. - Extractivism and Resource Management:
A core area of research involves the examination of extractivist practices (e.g., mining, agriculture, forestry) and their socio-environmental impacts, particularly in developing regions. - Gender and Environmental Conflict:
The journal addresses gender dynamics in environmental conflicts, exploring how gender roles affect and are affected by ecological governance and resource management. - Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies:
Research on climate change, its impacts, and adaptive strategies is prevalent, with a focus on how political and economic structures influence resilience and vulnerability. - Urban Political Ecology:
An emerging area of interest, the journal explores urban environments and the socio-ecological challenges they face, including issues of sustainability, governance, and public health.
Trending and Emerging
- Climate Colonialism:
A growing body of work examines the concept of climate colonialism, exploring how climate change initiatives can perpetuate colonial legacies and affect marginalized communities, highlighting the need for just and equitable climate action. - Green Extractivism:
Research on green extractivism is trending, looking at how ostensibly sustainable practices can lead to environmental degradation and social injustices, challenging the narrative of 'green' development. - Intersections of Gender and Ecology:
There is an increasing focus on the intersections of gender and environmental issues, exploring how gender dynamics shape environmental governance and conflict, particularly in resource management. - Indigenous Resistance and Knowledge Systems:
Emerging themes emphasize Indigenous resistance to extractivism and the importance of Indigenous knowledge systems in ecological management, promoting decolonial approaches to environmental governance. - Urban Resilience and Political Ecology:
An upward trend in research addressing urban resilience highlights the political ecological dimensions of urban environments, focusing on sustainability, social justice, and the impacts of climate change in urban contexts. - Toxicity and Environmental Justice:
Recent publications increasingly explore the politics of toxicity and its implications for environmental justice, examining how marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards.
Declining or Waning
- Traditional Conservation Approaches:
There appears to be a waning interest in traditional conservation methodologies that do not incorporate social justice or local community engagement, as newer submissions emphasize more inclusive and participatory frameworks. - Purely Economic Analyses of Environmental Issues:
Research focusing solely on economic impacts of environmental policies without considering social dimensions and power relations is becoming less frequent, reflecting a shift towards more holistic analyses. - Static Views of Environmental Governance:
Papers that present static or unchanging views of environmental governance are declining, with a growing emphasis on dynamic and relational approaches that account for changing political and ecological contexts. - Overemphasis on Quantitative Data:
There is a noticeable decrease in studies relying heavily on quantitative data without qualitative insights, as the journal increasingly values mixed-method approaches that capture complex socio-environmental realities. - Single-Sector Focus:
Research that examines environmental issues from a single-sector perspective (e.g., solely focusing on agriculture or forestry) is less common, as interdisciplinary approaches become more favored.
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