The dispositif of a closed future and the paradoxical effects of the eco-emancipatory project

verfasst von

Lea Zierott, Katharina Block, Ulf Bohmann, Michael Ernst-Heidenreich, Henning Laux

Abstract

We analyze paradoxes of a dispositif of a closed future generated by the successes of the eco-emancipatory project (EEP). The current anticipation of an impending climate catastrophe fosters a societal regime that prioritizes preemptive actions, closing the future to alternative paths. By applying Foucault's concept of the dispositif, we examine how this regime paradoxically leads to the revival of nuclear power, which not only contradicts those parts of the EEP originating in the anti-nuclear movement, but also inadvertently constricts democratic decision-making, empowering right-wing populist forces to present themselves as champions of an open, malleable future. Through a critical analysis of this shift, we identify unintended consequences of the EEP, which foster a technocratic and restrictive approach that ultimately reinforces authoritarian dynamics and undermines its ecological and democratic aspirations. The study contributes to debates on future imaginaries, exploring how current anticipatory climate politics operate while creating tensions between ecological responsibility and democratic ideals.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Soziologie

Externe Organisation(en)

Universität Hamburg
Universität Rostock
Technische Universität Chemnitz
Universität Koblenz (UK)

Typ

Artikel

Journal

European journal of social theory

Band

28

Seiten

584-604

Anzahl der Seiten

21

ISSN

1368-4310

Publikationsdatum

11.2025

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Soziologie und Politikwissenschaften

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 13 – Klimaschutzmaßnahmen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1177/13684310251334944 (Zugang: Geschlossen)