Disingenuous natures and post-truth politics: Five knowledge modalities of concern in environmental governance

Abstract

In this paper I examine our current post-truth politics and use the concept ‘disingenuous natures’ to describe the intersecting knowledge constructs, management practices and material conditions that enable authoritative knowledge of human-environment interactions to take hold and persist. These conditions are disingenuous because they are both artifactual and generative of social-ecological reifications, knowledge distortions and information deficiencies, yet retain a position of authority and legitimacy in decision-making contexts. I argue that researchers seeking to confront our current post-truth wave lack a clear framework for describing the process through which post-truthism unfolds and disingenuous natures are produced. I describe five interrelated ‘knowledge modalities of concern’ that illuminate key elements of this process. I argue for continued engagement with these knowledge types by critical scholars of the environment because they pose serious challenges for progressive environmental governance.