erdom

Erdom is a neologism used in some scholarly and fictional contexts to denote the integrated space constituted by Earth's physical environments, human communities, and the infrastructures that connect them. In usage, erdom aims to capture the interaction between natural systems and human governance at planetary scales. It is not an officially defined geographic term and its meaning varies by author.

Origin and etymology are uncertain; the term appears to be a portmanteau derived from Earth and dominion or domain. Its employment has grown in recent decades in environmental humanities, strategic studies, and speculative fiction, where it serves as a convention for discussing global interdependencies.

Academic usage: Proponents use erdom to discuss how ecological processes, climate change, resources, and human institutions such as law and economy shape each other. It provides a framework for examining sovereignty, governance, and equity across borders, without privileging a single nation-state.

In fiction and media, erdom often appears as a setting or conceptual stage for planetary-scale plots. Authors may define its boundaries differently, sometimes including artificial environments or orbital infrastructures; the term thus functions more as a narrative shorthand than a fixed theory.

Criticism and limitations: as a broad umbrella term, erdom risks vagueness and overgeneralization. Critics urge precise definitions and careful operationalization for empirical work. Related concepts include ecumene, planetary boundaries, global governance, and ecocultural studies.