Modernity
This chapter explores modernity within ecological economics, examining its philosophical foundations, historical development, and influence on sustainability theory and practice. It highlights major thinkers, critiques, and evolving perspectives that shape ecological economic methods. Published in Cheltenham, UK.
Subject Tags
- Social Sciences
Abstract
This chapter provides a concise overview of modernity as it relates to ecological economics, tracing its intellectual roots through major social theorists including Habermas, Horkheimer and Adorno, Lyotard, Sen, and others. It outlines how modernity has shaped dominant economic worldviews, rationality, and institutions, and examines critiques that highlight the limitations of Enlightenment‑based assumptions in addressing contemporary socio‑ecological challenges. The entry situates modernity within ongoing debates about justice, democracy, postmodernity, and the Anthropocene, emphasizing how evolving conceptions of modernity influence ecological economic theory, methods, and the search for more deliberative, equitable, and sustainable economic systems.
Citation
Wironen, M. B. (2023). "Modernity". In Dictionary of Ecological Economics. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing. Retrieved Apr 27, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788974912.M.57
TNC Authors
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Michael Wironen
The Nature Conservancy
Email: michael.wironen@TNC.ORG