How to be an ecological strongeconomiststrong - University of Vermont.pdfVIP

E C O L O G I C A L E C O N O M I C S 6 6 ( 2 0 0 8 ) 1 – 7 ava i l a b l e a t w w w. s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / e c o l e c o n COMMENTARY How to be an ecological economist☆ Malte Faber⁎ Alfred Weber Institute, Department of Economics University of Heidelberg, Grabengasse 14, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history: To answer the question “How to be an Ecological Economist”, we must start by defining the Received 18 October 2007 field of Ecological Economics. Mainstream Economics altogether lacks the concepts required Received in revised form to deal adequately with nature, justice and time. It was the absence of these three concepts 18 January 2008 in this otherwise great social science that led to the establishment of Ecological Economics. Accepted 18 January 2008 The interest in nature, justice and time is its defining characteristic. The main thesis of this Available online 14 March 2008 paper is that our field is a fragile institution and that the professional existence of an ecological economist is no less fragile. However, this very fragility also represents freedom, Keywords: scope for free thinking, conceptualising and research. Nevertheless, to be able to really use Ecological Economics and in turn enjoy the full scope of this freedom, an ecological economist needs certain Mainst