The Anthropocene’s status as a distinct chronostratigraphic epoch has been debated among a broad spectrum of disciplines, including geology, Earth Systems Science (ESS), and environmental studies. While some scholars date its beginning to the Industrial Revolution, others suggest earlier markers, such as the advent of agriculture or human civilization, or later events like the twentieth century’s “Great Acceleration.” The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG), established in 2009, has adopted an essential role in shaping this debate. This chapter explores the AWG’s contributions to forming a scientific community around the Anthropocene concept and to the broader inter- and multidisciplinary discourse. It examines the disciplinary and academic backgrounds of AWG members, their patterns of collaboration, and their influence on the scientific debate through a bibliographic analysis of their publications from 2000 through 2021. By assessing the visibility of these works within a larger body of Anthropocene-related literature, the chapter analyzes the AWG’s impact on the field, highlighting the group’s role in framing the Anthropocene as a significant scientific and geoscientific topic.

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The AWG and the Scientific Debate About the Anthropocene

  • Martin Bohle,
  • Boris Holzer,
  • Leslie Sklair,
  • Fabienne Will

摘要

The Anthropocene’s status as a distinct chronostratigraphic epoch has been debated among a broad spectrum of disciplines, including geology, Earth Systems Science (ESS), and environmental studies. While some scholars date its beginning to the Industrial Revolution, others suggest earlier markers, such as the advent of agriculture or human civilization, or later events like the twentieth century’s “Great Acceleration.” The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG), established in 2009, has adopted an essential role in shaping this debate. This chapter explores the AWG’s contributions to forming a scientific community around the Anthropocene concept and to the broader inter- and multidisciplinary discourse. It examines the disciplinary and academic backgrounds of AWG members, their patterns of collaboration, and their influence on the scientific debate through a bibliographic analysis of their publications from 2000 through 2021. By assessing the visibility of these works within a larger body of Anthropocene-related literature, the chapter analyzes the AWG’s impact on the field, highlighting the group’s role in framing the Anthropocene as a significant scientific and geoscientific topic.