Kohensi

Kohensi is a fictional unit of measurement used in speculative sustainability modeling to quantify social-ecological resilience. It is described in certain science fiction and theoretical teaching contexts as a composite index that captures how well a coupled human-environment system can absorb disturbances, reorganize, and retain essential function and feedbacks. Because it is a fictional construct, kohensi is not recognized as a real-world metric outside curricular or narrative uses.

Definition and computation: Kohensi is defined as a single numeric score derived from four domains: ecological integrity, adaptive capacity, social cohesion, and governance performance. Each domain is represented by sub-indices based on chosen indicators, which are normalized and weighted before aggregation. The resulting score typically ranges from 0 to 100 in published scenarios, with higher values indicating greater resilience. Data inputs may include biodiversity measures, climate exposure, economic diversity, institutional transparency, and levels of public participation. Because kohensi originates in imagined or theoretical settings, there is no standardized methodology, and practices vary by author or instructor.

Origins and applications: The concept emerged in 21st-century speculative literature and teaching about resilience metrics, where researchers and educators use kohensi to illustrate multi-dimensional resilience without asserting real-world validity. In those contexts, it serves as a pedagogical tool to compare policy scenarios, urban-rural linkages, and governance arrangements within fictional or exploratory models.

Limitations and reception: Critics point out that kohensi, as a fictional construct, lacks empirical grounding, standard definitions, and cross-study comparability. Its usefulness rests on its ability to illuminate interactions among environment, society, and institutions rather than to provide a precise policy instrument.

See also: resilience, sustainability metrics, systems thinking.