Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat
As in many other fields, mechanism-based theorizing has become increasingly popular in social-ecological research. However, calls for mechanism-based explanations and middle-range theorizing have remained relatively abstract. In the social sciences, the Coleman diagram provides heuristic aid to figu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
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| Online Access: | https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol29/iss4/art6 |
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| author | Rodrigo Martínez-Peña Petri Ylikoski |
| author_facet | Rodrigo Martínez-Peña Petri Ylikoski |
| author_sort | Rodrigo Martínez-Peña |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As in many other fields, mechanism-based theorizing has become increasingly popular in social-ecological research. However, calls for mechanism-based explanations and middle-range theorizing have remained relatively abstract. In the social sciences, the Coleman diagram provides heuristic aid to figure out mechanisms for macro-scale causal claims. The diagram, understood as a series of analytical questions, helps to connect macro processes and agents’ behaviors causally and to build understanding of how the macro effects get generated. This paper argues that the Coleman diagram can also be helpful in advancing mechanism-based theorizing in social-ecological research. Using an updated version of the diagram, we show how to incorporate ecological and social-ecological mechanisms into social explanations. The paper systematically explores how social and ecological mechanisms could intertwine with each other and illustrates them with brief examples. It also introduces the concepts of an action situation, mental states, and agent capacities to dissect the interface between agency and social-ecological change. Finally, the paper discusses how the diagram can integrate various forms of causal complexity. The ecologically expanded Coleman’s diagram contributes both to social-ecological research and social theory. It provides a concrete tool for integrating social and ecological theorizing using the idea of a mechanism-based explanation, and it also shows that mechanism-based theorizing is a viable avenue for developing more ambitious interdisciplinary theories about significant challenges both people and ecosystems face. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4697ce8a4a446978d391ad1738cfca5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4697ce8a4a446978d391ad1738cfca52025-08-20T02:58:22ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872024-12-01294610.5751/ES-15209-29040615209Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boatRodrigo Martínez-Peña0Petri Ylikoski1Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SwedenSociology, University of Helsinki, FinlandAs in many other fields, mechanism-based theorizing has become increasingly popular in social-ecological research. However, calls for mechanism-based explanations and middle-range theorizing have remained relatively abstract. In the social sciences, the Coleman diagram provides heuristic aid to figure out mechanisms for macro-scale causal claims. The diagram, understood as a series of analytical questions, helps to connect macro processes and agents’ behaviors causally and to build understanding of how the macro effects get generated. This paper argues that the Coleman diagram can also be helpful in advancing mechanism-based theorizing in social-ecological research. Using an updated version of the diagram, we show how to incorporate ecological and social-ecological mechanisms into social explanations. The paper systematically explores how social and ecological mechanisms could intertwine with each other and illustrates them with brief examples. It also introduces the concepts of an action situation, mental states, and agent capacities to dissect the interface between agency and social-ecological change. Finally, the paper discusses how the diagram can integrate various forms of causal complexity. The ecologically expanded Coleman’s diagram contributes both to social-ecological research and social theory. It provides a concrete tool for integrating social and ecological theorizing using the idea of a mechanism-based explanation, and it also shows that mechanism-based theorizing is a viable avenue for developing more ambitious interdisciplinary theories about significant challenges both people and ecosystems face.https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol29/iss4/art6action-based explanationaction situationanalytical sociologycomplex adaptive systemscomplex causationcoupled human and natural systemsmechanism-based explanationmiddle range theoriessocio-ecological systems |
| spellingShingle | Rodrigo Martínez-Peña Petri Ylikoski Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat Ecology and Society action-based explanation action situation analytical sociology complex adaptive systems complex causation coupled human and natural systems mechanism-based explanation middle range theories socio-ecological systems |
| title | Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat |
| title_full | Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat |
| title_fullStr | Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat |
| title_short | Coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the Coleman boat |
| title_sort | coupling social and ecological mechanisms with the coleman boat |
| topic | action-based explanation action situation analytical sociology complex adaptive systems complex causation coupled human and natural systems mechanism-based explanation middle range theories socio-ecological systems |
| url | https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol29/iss4/art6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rodrigomartinezpena couplingsocialandecologicalmechanismswiththecolemanboat AT petriylikoski couplingsocialandecologicalmechanismswiththecolemanboat |