Professional Geoethics, Prescriptive Geoethics and Analytical Geoethics. For a constructivist approach of the ethical dimension of geographical space

Abstract

This article proposes a research framework for analyzing the role of ideas and ethical norms in the construction of the spatiality of societies. After recalling the existence of three possible uses of the term ‘geoethics’ within the academic sphere (professional, prescriptive and analytical), a second part presents five possible epistemological approaches of geoethical analysis (the naturalistic, idealistic, rational choice, holistic and constructivist approaches). In doing so, the heuristic interest of a constructivist and multifactorial approach to geoethical norms in the regulation of the spatiality of societies will be underlined. In a last part, the conditions for the conceptual and methodological implementation of a constructivist analysis of geoethical norms, regimes and controversies are introduced. The article closes with the proposal of a classification aimed at highlighting the role of geoethical norms in the construction of some major currents of thought constitutive of political modernity.Keywords: constructivism, geoethics, norms, moral values, territorial governance