KENNETH E. BOULDING 1910-1993

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KENNETH E. BOULDING 1910-1993 Point Lobos,
California 1991
Richard B. Norgaard
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Kenneth E. Boulding (1910-1993) was a leading
systems thinker who integrated social theory with
the natural sciences and moral philosophy. He was
an eccentric, provocative critic of the
fragmentation that characterizes modern
scholarship. Yet his creativity, seminal ideas,
and constructive engage-ment with the scientific
community were widely recognized, resulting in
his being elected President of the American
Economics Association and of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science.
Kenneth and his wife, Elise Boulding, herself a
renowned sociologist, were Quakers who actively
contributed to the international peace movement.
Kenneth lived humbly, with grace, wit and
laughter, and maintained unbounded faith that
goodness and sensibility would ultimately prevail
in a world, then as now, seriously threatened by
human folly.
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This award is given in honor of people who
exemplify aspects of the special character of
Kenneth E. Boulding with the hope of perpetuating
his many individual strengths among ISEE members
and beyond. May we combine them, as he did, into
wisdom.
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The International Society for Ecological
Economics presents the 2008 Kenneth E. Boulding
Memorial Award to Manfred Max-Neef
and Charles Perrings
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Manfred Max-Neef has focused the worlds
attention on basic human needs, especially the
non-material needs that development is as likely
to destroy as deliver, and thereby opened up
critical options for reducing energy and material
flows and living compatibly with nature. He is
the author or co-editor of several widely read
books From the Outside Looking In Experiences
in Barefoot Economics (1981) and Human Scale
Development (1991) and Real-Life Economics
Understanding Wealth Creation co-edited with Paul
Ekins (1992). He received the Right Livelihood
Award in 1983 and numerous honors since including
recognition during this past year in two separate
publications as one of the most important
thinkers on development and sustainability of the
20th century. Professor Max-Neef has taught on
many campuses around the world, ran for President
of Chile in 1993 (receiving 5.5 of the vote),
and was appointed that year to serve as the
Chancellor of the Southern University of Chile
where he currently serves as Professor of
Ecological Economics.
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Charles Perrings has pushed the integration of
economics and ecology through research, teaching,
and professional leadership over three decades.
His research advances theory, is solidly grounded
in resource management case studies, and is
frequently undertaken with biologists. Since
publication of the book Economy and Environment
(1987), his research has significantly advanced
our understanding of the evolution of
ecological-economic systems, and of the role of
biodiversity in the resilience and sustainability
of those systems. He has actively instilled
transdisciplinary thinking into the curriculum of
several universities. A prolific researcher, his
many books and articles have demonstrated the
intellectual gains to collaboration across the
social and natural sciences. Perhaps most of all,
he has unceasingly led international efforts to
promote both scientific research and public
understanding of biodiversity, ecosystem
services, resilience and other critical concepts
linking economy and ecology that are essential to
a sustainable future.   Charles Perrings is a
former president of the International Society for
Ecological Economics and has been Professor of
Environmental Economics at Arizona State
University since August 2005.