Medicine as an essentially contested concept.

Essentially Contested Concepts and Semantic Externalism

In 1956, W.B. Gallie introduced his idea of essentially contested concepts. In my paper, I offer a novel interpretation of his theory and argue that his theory, thus interpreted, is correct. The key to my interpretation lies in a condition Gallie places on essentially contested concepts that other interpreters downplay or dismiss: that the use of an essentially contested concept must be derived...

Circular economy as an essentially contested concept

The Circular Economy (CE) is currently a popular notion within the policy and business advocacy groups. Despite being visionary and provocative in its message, the research on the CE concept is emerging. The two intertwined objectives of the paper are; first to identify, discuss and develop the various definitions provided by the emerging literature. Secondly, to suggest an initial research app...

The Silent Politics of Educational Disadvantage and the National Anti-poverty Strategy

Educational disadvantage is an essentially contested, political concept. At the same time there is a “phoney consensus” (O’Sullivan, 1999) surrounding the issue, i.e., policy debates on the topic often fail to reflect this contestation. This lack of awareness of the political context to the debate is evident in relation to the targets and measures set for addressing educational disadvantage. Wh...

Introducing "One Health" as an Overlooked Concept in Iran

Sustainable Development: a Contested Paradigm

This paper discusses the concept of sustainable development as a contested paradigm. Issues surrounding growth and sustainability are considered as are definitions and perceptions of sustainable development and the role played by ecological modernization in achieving sustainable development goals. The views expressed are those of the author and are presented to stimulate discussion rather than ...