What is there to sustain? Ontological imaginaries and the existence and agency of gods, Tūpuna, and everything else
Draaisma, Linde, and Lockie, Stewart (2026) What is there to sustain? Ontological imaginaries and the existence and agency of gods, Tūpuna, and everything else. Environmental Science & Policy, 175. 104297.
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Abstract
Sustainability science looks at who and what can continue to exist into the future. To do so, it must also grapple with ontological questions about what and who currently exists. Whereas people’s worlds are inhabited by vastly different entities and relationships, it is often only the entities that exist in dominant, science-based realities that are discussed in environmental research and policy. In such cases, a separation between objectivity and subjectivity particular to post-Enlightenment thought disqualifies entities like gods and spirits from serious consideration. We argue that gasses, temperatures, gods and angels can all play important roles in the origins, consequences and resolution of environmental issues. However, a practical way of conceptualising and investigating the wide variety of entities that exist is needed. To that end, we introduce the concept of ontological imaginaries and explain how this can be incorporated into research. Ontological imaginaries describe and prescribe the entities and relationships that exist for people. They recognize reality to be multiple and enacted, thus rejecting the premise of a singular and objective truth. Ontological imaginaries embody diversity, transformation and multiplicity and are therefore well equipped to capture the dynamic and often messy nature of people’s realities. By recognizing the existence and agency of gods, Tūpuna (ancestors) and everything else that exists, the concept "ontological imaginaries" can provide a tool for engaging with ontological multiplicity in environmental science.
| Item ID: | 92354 |
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| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1873-6416 |
| Keywords: | Environmental science and policy, Ontological imaginaries, Political ontology, Socio-technical imaginaries,Sustainability |
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| Copyright Information: | © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Jun 2026 23:41 |
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