Highlights

Consolidation and synthesis of multidisciplinary research on societal collapse.

The review identifies theoretical tensions and themes in extant research.

Indicates future research and research in futures studies sprouting from the findings.

Abstract

Because of concerns that ongoing climate change could lead to a possible collapse of human civilization, the topic of societal (civilization) collapse has emerged as especially relevant, not least for the futures-oriented studies. While this has led to extensive research on societal collapse, there is a lack of consolidation and synthesis of the research. The purpose of this article is thus to systematize the extant research on societal collapse and suggest future research directions. This article offers a systematic multidisciplinary review of the existing literature (361 articles and 73 books) and identifies five scholarly conversations: past collapses, general explanations of collapse, alternatives to collapse, fictional collapses, and future climate change and societal collapse. The review builds the foundation for a critical discussion of each line of inquiry by focusing on theoretical tensions and themes within each scholarly conversation, ending with a discussion of how these conversations inform futures research.

Title gore. Doesn’t match the article at all. But updoot anyways because the article is valuable as a consolidated meta-analysis of collapse.

My two pet peeves:

1. The author uses society when it should be civilization.

2. The author introduces climate change as the cause, rather than ecological overshoot of which climate change is but one of its facets.