Circular economy as a magic concept: the rise and (possible) fall of a sustainability buzzword

Abstract The circular economy has become an influential concept in sustainability discourses. Historically, scholarship has analyzed circularity primarily in the context of waste management and production efficiency. More recent perspectives take the expansionary view that circularity is a macro-state impacting policy strategies, economic growth, and societal transformation. However, lagging adoption of circularity and modest results invite scholarly reflection on the concept’s potential for long-term influence. This article explores the discursive dynamics of circularity, using the analytical perspective of ‘magic concepts’ to understand narrative contestation around circularity and how the concept is iteratively re-constructed to serve emerging interests and shifting contexts. Magic concepts are characterized by broadness, normative attractiveness, implication of consensus, and universal marketability. We discuss how the magic concept perspective foregrounds epistemological forces shaping the promotion of circularity in policy, corporate, and academic settings. This topic has received only modest scholarly attention but has potential for theoretical novelty. The article concludes by considering the prospect of circularity’s fading relevance within an increasingly crowded and contested arena of sustainability discourses.