In academic debate, the ecological transition has given way to lively interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary discussions, in which the social sciences and humanities have attempted – and continue to attempt – to recognise the complexity of balancing of political, social, economic and environmental issues. A significant part of the contribution coming from the SSH has questioned the effectiveness of the proposed solutions, showing the inherent limitations of decisionism and depoliticization, techno-optimistic urges and one-size-fits-all approaches, inattentive to local conditions and the individual features of places. Against this backdrop, two closely interrelated theoretical issues are addressed, which concern political adaptation and technological adaptation, with three theoretical focal points, involving (green) sacrifice zones, environmental violence and slow disasters or slow emergencies. These essay deal with the links between political adaptation and technological adaptation, through the lens of spatiality and temporality. On the one hand, all five contributions focus on spatial aspects of the ecological transition, including in-depth territorial case studies (in Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Sicily); on the other hand, local space is set within historical processes, where specific socio-economic structures, political-cultural institutions and technologies have shaped the metabolic interaction between society and industry, matter, energy, water and heat, producing socio-ecological hybrids. At the intersection of space and time, we can better understand the complexity of transitions, both in terms of mitigation policies (decarbonisation and energy) and adaptation policies (water scarcity and urban heat islands).
Ecological transition and environmental violence across old and new sacrifice zones
MARTONE, Vittorio
2025-01-01
Abstract
In academic debate, the ecological transition has given way to lively interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary discussions, in which the social sciences and humanities have attempted – and continue to attempt – to recognise the complexity of balancing of political, social, economic and environmental issues. A significant part of the contribution coming from the SSH has questioned the effectiveness of the proposed solutions, showing the inherent limitations of decisionism and depoliticization, techno-optimistic urges and one-size-fits-all approaches, inattentive to local conditions and the individual features of places. Against this backdrop, two closely interrelated theoretical issues are addressed, which concern political adaptation and technological adaptation, with three theoretical focal points, involving (green) sacrifice zones, environmental violence and slow disasters or slow emergencies. These essay deal with the links between political adaptation and technological adaptation, through the lens of spatiality and temporality. On the one hand, all five contributions focus on spatial aspects of the ecological transition, including in-depth territorial case studies (in Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Sicily); on the other hand, local space is set within historical processes, where specific socio-economic structures, political-cultural institutions and technologies have shaped the metabolic interaction between society and industry, matter, energy, water and heat, producing socio-ecological hybrids. At the intersection of space and time, we can better understand the complexity of transitions, both in terms of mitigation policies (decarbonisation and energy) and adaptation policies (water scarcity and urban heat islands).
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