2015/03/19 by Kiran Asher, Asher, Kiran
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Academia #Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice #Intervention #Non-academic #Social Science and Policy Research #Sustainability and Climate Change Governance #action #ethical commitment #justice #practice #responsibility #theory
paper · doi:10.14288/acme.v13i4.1032
openalex publication_date 2015/03/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
Political ecology as a field emerges from its critical engagement with contemporary social and environmental problems. As engaged scholars, political ecologists think about the relevance of their work for those outside academe. Indeed, in response to the environmental crises and social challenges of the day, many of the field’s framers and practitioners posit, “Enough reflection, it’s time for action.” I share the field’s concerns and its ethical commitment to struggles for justice. However, I argue against privileging either practice or theory. In this intervention, I suggest that we pause to consider why engaged scholarship often takes utilitarian or functional forms, and reflect on the relationship between the "doers” and “the done for" that it sets up. I contend that part of our responsibility as engaged scholars is to be persistently critical, including about how we represent and relate to those outside the academic-university complex.