Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
The ecological modernization theory is one of the most prevalent and pioneering theories in the field of environmental sociology. The main idea of the theory is that in the late era of modernization, industrialization, technical development, economic growth and capitalism are not only compatible with ecology, but are also the man stimulus for environmental reforms. The aim of the present study is the epistemological critique of this theory from different aspects. With this in mind and using the general standards of criticism in the field of social epistemology (including the internal and external cohesion of the theory) and the specific standards of criticism (including administrability, dogma, and theoretical alienation), the ecological modernization theory has been reviewed. The main research question of the current study is that considering the social contexts of the formation of ecological modernization theory, what strengths and weaknesses can be considered? The results of the investigation show that in the ecological modernization theory, the maintenance of the ecosystem has mainly been assigned to technical development, and the social and political aspects of environmental preservation have been neglected. Through reviewing and criticizing the various aspects of the ecological modernization theory, it can be said that considering that the main focus of the theory is on the changing economy-ecology relations in industrial countries, it cannot properly claim environmental reform in other regions of the world.
Keywords
- Ecological modernization
- technical development
- environmental reform
- social epistemology
- economy-ecosystem relations
Main Subjects
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