Epistemic communities in political ecology: critical deconstruction or radical advocacy?

Recent political ecology scholarship appears to be turning towards de-growth agendas and radical activism, notably in Europe. These postures diverge somewhat from the 'classical' ecological tradition rooted a critical deconstruction of dominant ideas actors field-based analyses. We posit heuristic distinction between these two impulses. While both are based critiques (Robbins' 'hatchet'), as far 'seed' one impulse leans more 'deconstruction', other 'advocacy.' Through systemic review literature, we seek identify characterize impulses, link them epistemic communities knowledge production, explain trends. Our incorporates qualitative analysis key texts, well quantitative bibliometric content Scopus-indexed publications referring (1951-2019) abstracts all articles published Journal Political Ecology, POLLEN conferences Europe (2016, 2018) DOPE US (2013-2019). Among things, find that even if has long been divided deconstructivist advocacy approaches, second is becoming preeminent since many ecologists taking turn, with strong theoretically attacks on capitalist system place. Some research increasingly positions itself socio-political debates related greening unjust societies First World. This most prominent continental European academia (and some English universities), where institutionally marginal; remaining British North American universities, but also pluralistic its orientations.