Abstract

LEAVY, Sebastián  and  TALAMINI, Edson. Human-nature interaction approached from a bibliometric analysis of Malthus and Boserup. RIA. Rev. investig. agropecu. [online]. 2024, vol.50, n.1, pp.27-43. ISSN 1669-2314.

The theoretical framework of Complex Adaptive Systems allows modeling human-environment interactions that are constantly evolving and have implications for sustainability. The aim of this paper is to identify which approach, Malthusian or Boserupian, has served as a reference in contemporary studies on the human-environment relationship. We carried out a systematic review of the scientific literature building upon the seminal works of Malthus and Boserup. The scientific papers were collected from the Scopus database. Three sets of data were used: a set in which Malthus appears in the References, another for Boserup in the References, and a set with references to both Malthus and Boserup. Data were analyzed with the bibliometric software Bibliometrix. The results show the contribution of both authors to contemporary scientific studies on climate change, food security, waste management, among others. Boserup stands out for her contribution to agricultural land use and international agricultural policies after the Second World War, whereas Malthus addresses broader themes linked to human development, considering aspects such as wealth, poverty, human nature, and happiness. As regards the human-environment relationship, i.e., linking the aspects of sustainability, the Malthusian approach is perceived as being closer to the strong sustainability, to ecological economics, subjects linked to the work of Georgescu-Roegen. In Boserup, it is closer to weak sustainability, reflected in international economic policies. The implications of this research include the impact of climatic alterations on diets, which requires considering the mathematical contributions, bifurcations, and tipping points that will ultimately impact human development on Earth. The reading of Malthus’ work seems to be relevant for studies addressing contemporary population (society) issues. The originality of our study lies in the identification of contemporary topics in human-environment relations that are grounded in the works of Malthus and Boserup, suggesting that Malthus’ seminal work has served as a reference for a wide range of sustainability issues.

Keywords : sustainability; models; complexity.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English     · English ( pdf )