Work

Cosmoecology: a literature review and conceptual synthesis for transdisciplinary research lines

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This review examines the term "cosmoecology," a polysemous neologism used across multiple disciplines to bridge the relationship between the Cosmos and ecology. Tracing its intellectual history, the paper identifies three primary lineages: Bohdan Kiełczewski’s organic metaphor regarding cosmic influences on Earthly life, Michael Mautner’s astrobiological vision for seeding the universe, and the relational multispecies entanglements proposed by Vinciane Despret and Michel Meuret. Building on these foundations and drawing from the SPIRAL project’s cross-cultural data on 73 societies, this paper proposes a new conceptualization of cosmoecology as a "relational onto-epistemology." This framework integrates African humanist traditions, the concept of the pluriverse, and ecospiritual practices to address sustainability and territorial governance in the Anthropocene. By synthesizing these diverse traditions, the review provides a foundation for transdisciplinary research that recognizes the interconnectedness of cosmic, planetary, and local human-ecology relations.

Source: Open Research Europe

DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.22617.1

Author: Alessandra MANZINI

Institutions: CY Cergy Paris Université, Laboratoire de géographie et d'aménagement

Language: English

Topic: Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $841

Funder: Horizon 2020 Framework Programme