The Global South in sustainability science: evidence of epistemic marginalisation
Carole-Anne Sénit, Frank Biermann, Bianca De Souza Nagasawa, Carol Bardi, Gianmarco Diprima, Helen De GraaffAbstract
Non-Technical Summary
Scientific knowledge has become a powerful force in global sustainability politics, shaping discourses and legitimising solutions. Particularly for countries in the Global South, which are often disproportionately vulnerable to global environmental change and lack the adaptive capacity to cope with the impacts, scientific information is crucial. Yet the role of these countries in sustainability science remains insufficiently examined. What role do scientists based in the Global South play in the production and dissemination of knowledge on sustainability? This article sheds light on this crucial question by analysing the representation of Global South scientists in major sustainability-related academic journals and networks.
Technical Summary
The Anthropocene carries major risks for countries in the Global South, which are disproportionately vulnerable to sustainability challenges. Given their high vulnerability, these countries need to play a central role in knowledge production on sustainability. Yet is this the case? This article studies the marginalisation of the Global South in the structures and practices of sustainability science, with a focus on the ‘least developed countries’, a group of countries classified as such by the United Nations. We examine, first, how scientists from least developed countries are represented in knowledge production in five major sustainability-related academic journals. Second, we explore the governance of scientific production and evaluation and how least developed countries are represented by examining editorial board membership in these five journals and conducting a qualitative assessment of barriers to publishing. Finally, we assess how scientists from least developed countries are represented in three major sustainability science networks, offering a detailed analysis of conference participation. We find that, overall, scientists from least developed countries, remain marginalised in the production and dissemination of knowledge on sustainability. This marginalisation, we argue, may legitimise scientific discourses and governance instruments that exclude the interests of the poorest in the Global South.
Social Media Summary
New evidence confirms that the Global South is epistemically marginalised in global sustainability science