Ecology and power: from environmental and ecological economics to stratification economics

Abstract Ecological relations are now less sustainable. Power relations are more unequal. Investigating the nature of power has become the most pressing political economic challenge. How do the dominant schools of economics frame power? What are the existing institutional and ecological economics alternatives? Why does stratification economics address limitations to theorising ecology and power ? A frame analysis of current research shows that there are distinct theories of power in economics. But, whether mainstream or alternative, these theories downplay global social stratification, creating the conditions for perpetuating the ecological crises. Stratification economics addresses this problem because of its property theory of power.