Metabolism in geographical thought: its development and future prospects

Journal title RIVISTA GEOGRAFICA ITALIANA
Author/s Stefano Menegat
Publishing Year 2026 Issue 2025/4
Language Italian Pages 21 P. 5-25 File size 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/rgioa4-2025oa21677
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The concept of metabolism has been used in geography for several decades, although its meaning has evolved over time. This paper presents a critical review of the geographical literature that has employed metabolism as a key element in the development of theories, discourses, and practices. The analysis identifies three main currents, each characterized by different ontological stances: two of them use metabolism as either an interpretative or generative metaphor, while the third assigns it an epistemic value. Building on this latter perspective, the paper establishes a dialogue between the epistemic approach and the definition of metabolism developed within relational biology. In conclusion, the study highlights how three fundamental concepts – multiscalarity, impredicativity, and anticipation – can contribute to shaping a new model of “metabolic geographies” for both qualitative and quantitative territorial analysis.

Keywords: social metabolism, political ecology, planetary urbanization, modeling relation, MuSIASEM.

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Stefano Menegat, Il metabolismo nel pensiero geografico: il suo sviluppo e le prospettive future in "RIVISTA GEOGRAFICA ITALIANA" 4/2025, pp 5-25, DOI: 10.3280/rgioa4-2025oa21677