The Path to Change - the Quest for Sustainability in Mainstream Society Inspired by Traditional Knowledge Systems in Indigenous Societies
Author
Hvilshøj Ovadja, Julie
Term
4. term
Publication year
2012
Submitted on
2012-06-01
Pages
58
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan moderne, markedsdrevne samfund kan blive mere bæredygtige. Udgangspunktet er antagelsen om, at økonomisk vækst, profit, forbrug og konkurrence ofte prioriteres over miljøbeskyttelse. For at forklare, hvorfor den nuværende udvikling truer menneskers trivsel, og hvordan ændring kan ske, opstilles et teoretisk rammeværk med udgangspunkt i økologisk økonomi (der belyser samspillet mellem økonomi og økosystemer) og tidlig politisk økologi (der ser på, hvordan politiske og økonomiske kræfter former miljøet). Specialet gennemgår globaliseringens udvikling og dens betydning for ulighed og miljøforringelse for at vise, hvor uholdbart mainstreamsamfundet er blevet. Derefter præsenteres et casestudie af et traditionelt samfund i Kumaun Himalaya i Indien. I takt med integrationen i det dominerende marked og institutioner er biodiversiteten faldet, og naturressourcerne forringet. Analysen peger på, at markedsintegration kan katalysere miljøforringelse, i tråd med politisk økologi. Specialet argumenterer for, at traditionelle videnformer — stedbundne og nedarvede måder at forvalte ressourcer og forstå naturen — hænger tæt sammen med mere bæredygtige praksisser og kan vejlede forandring. Det konkluderes, at opfyldelse af presserende bæredygtighedsmål sandsynligvis kræver et strukturelt skifte i sociale normer, informeret af traditionel viden om ressourceforvaltning og natur.
This thesis explores how modern, market-driven societies can become more sustainable. It starts from the assumption that economic growth, profit, consumerism, and competition are often prioritized over environmental protection. To explain why today’s patterns threaten human well-being and how change might occur, it sets out a theoretical framework drawing on ecological economics (which studies links between the economy and ecosystems) and early political ecology (which examines how political and economic forces shape environmental outcomes). The thesis reviews globalization and its effects on inequality and environmental degradation to illustrate how unsustainable mainstream society has become. It then presents a case study of a traditional community in the Kumaun Himalaya, India. As this community integrated into mainstream markets and institutions, biodiversity declined and natural resources deteriorated. The analysis suggests that market integration can catalyze environmental degradation, consistent with political ecology. The thesis argues that traditional knowledge systems—long-standing, place-based ways of managing resources and understanding nature—are closely linked to more sustainable practices and could guide change. It concludes that meeting urgent sustainability goals will likely require a structural shift in social norms, informed by traditional knowledge of resource management and the natural environment.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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