Journal Summaries



Journal Summaries

Summary of the First Journal Article

The first journal article selected is 'Sustainable de-growth: Mapping the context, criticisms and future prospects of an emergent paradigm' by Joan Martínez-Alier, Unai Pascual, Franck-Dominique Vivien, and Edwin Zaccai. This journal basically dealt with the concepts and movements that took place in the context of ecological economics and its sub branches like social ecology, social and environment activism and anthropology of economics. The journal has clearly worked for introducing sustainable de-growth concept. The major intellectual influences within the field of ecological economics are the main focus of this journal. The ideas of Francophone and Anglophone are elaborated.

The paper starts with describing the concept of de-growth in economic context. The paper also suggests that the concept of socially sustainable economic de-growth is influencing ecological economics. The paper traced the history of such ideas to 1980's movements for sustainable environmental and social development. There are various opponents to the ideas of sustained growth towards the overall economic growth. The journal article presents the context of sustainable de-growth. The work of Georgescu Roegen has largely influenced the movements of ecological economics (Joan, et. al., 2010). However, authors has suggested that French de-growth movement was less influenced by the concepts of ecological economics. The work of Ivan Illich is also assumed to be really significant in this regard. The authors argues that de-growth movements required the transformation of primitive societies into modern ones. Lastly, the authors believed that search of happiness can take various forms.

Further, it also reflects the origination of ecological economics in relation with the steady state economy concept. The authors have argues that sustainable development remains significant to the extent that development in the economy is showing no growth. The utilization of materials, energy and economic growth are somewhat correlated to the ecological economics. John Stuart Mill is assumed to be one of the most important players of de-growth ideas in Europe. The journal article has created arguments that sustainable de-growth and steady state economy will have to agree with the problems of the societies in undergoing de-growth suddenly (Joan, et. al., 2010). Examples of impact on gross domestic product are provided.

Moreover, the differences between the original idea of de-growth movement and their current notion of sustainable de-growth are also discussed. It has been suggested that de-growth movement resembles the concepts of Marxism. Another aspect that has been raised is that the de-growth movement is quite related to anthropology of economics. The critique of economic ecologists towards the neo-classical economics is reflected in the de-growth movement. Active and political pillars are recognized in order to being about a change in society. Lastly, the limitations of the sustainable development paradigm are focused. The proponents of de-growth has suggested that economic growth ultimately results in social and ecological disaster (Joan, et. al., 2010).

The paper concludes by providing new avenues for the sake to improvising policies related to environment and society by utilizing the phenomena of de-growth. It has been suggested that the ...