What is societal collapse? Lessons from the past can help us understand our future, but only to a point

Steel, Daniel; Giang, Amanda; Mintz-Woo, Kian

What is societal collapse? Lessons from the past can help us understand our future, but only to a point

Files

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Published Version

Date

2024-09-04

Authors

Steel, Daniel

Giang, Amanda

Mintz-Woo, Kian

Publisher

The Conversation Trust (UK) Limited

Abstract

As the climate crisis accelerates, it’s hard not to wonder if today’s societies can adapt. Growing worries over climate change have sparked interest in the collapse of ancient civilizations and the rise of the (often apocalypse-themed) “cli-fi” genre in popular culture. But before turning to the past for answers, it is important to think about what collapse is and why it matters.

Keywords

Climate change , Climate ethics , Climate justice , Climate crisis , Societal collapse

Citation

Steel, D. Giang, A. and Mintz-Woo, K.(2024) 'What is societal collapse? Lessons from the past can help us understand our future, but only to a point', The Conversation, 4 September. Available at: https://theconversation.com/what-is-societal-collapse-lessons-from-the-past-can-help-us-understand-our-future-but-only-to-a-point-234995 (Accessed: 18 September 2024)