V.I. Vernadsky and the noosphere concept: Russian understandings of society-nature interaction

Oldfield, J. and Shaw, D.J.B. (2006) V.I. Vernadsky and the noosphere concept: Russian understandings of society-nature interaction. Geoforum, 37(1), pp. 145-154. (doi: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2005.01.004)

Abstract

Recent Russian legislative and policy documentation concerning national progress towards sustainable development has suggested that the attainment of such a state would represent the first stage in the development of the noosphere as outlined by the Russian scientist Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky (1863–1945). This paper explores Vernadsky’s model of evolutionary change through a focus on his work on the biosphere and noosphere in an attempt to further understanding of the way in which Russia is approaching the concept of sustainable development in the contemporary period. It is argued that the official Russian interpretation of the noosphere idea tends to obscure the evolutionary and materialist foundations of Vernadsky’s biosphere–noosphere conceptualisation. At the same time, the concluding section of the paper suggests that the scope of Vernadsky’s work can be used to stimulate the search for a more coherent approach to work in areas of sustainable development and sustainability across the span of the social and physical sciences.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Sustainable development, Russia, Vernadsky, Biosphere, Noosphere, Geography
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Oldfield, Dr Jonathan
• Authors: Oldfield, J., and Shaw, D.J.B.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions; G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences; Q Science > QH Natural history
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Central and East European Studies
• Journal Name: Geoforum
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0016-7185
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 Elsevier
• First Published: First published in Geoforum 37(1):145-154
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.