The Metamodern Shift in Geographical Thought: Oscillatory Ontology and Epistemology, Post-Disciplinary and Post-Paradigmatic Perspectives

In the article, we address the issue of a metamodern shift in geographical thought, reflecting on the context of the current Anthropocene polycrisis, which encompasses a range of environmental, geopolitical, economic, and socio-cultural challenges of the present era. We start from the assumption that postmodern epistemological and methodological frameworks are insufficient for a comprehensive understanding and resolution of these challenges. In this context, we explore the potential of metamodernism as a new philosophical and scientific platform that oscillates between modernist rationalism and postmodern skepticism, allowing for the productive integration of these frameworks.The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate how metamodernism can contribute to the reinterpretation of geographical thought and to identify its potential as the fifth first-order discontinuity in the historical development of this discipline. In the theoretical and methodological section, we discuss discontinuities in scientific thought and apply the Latour-Barnes model to analyze the phases of mobilization and autonomization of metamodernism within academic discourse. We introduce key metamodernist concepts and principles – metarealism, zetetism, hylosemiotics, sublation, oscillation of scientific discourses, the paradoxical position of truth and grand narratives, dia/polylogical thinking, and the coexistence of layers of cultural evolution (Pipere, Mārtinsone, 2023, Storm, 2021), — and outline their applicability in geographical research. We employ qualitative, discourse-based, and historical-contextual methods to examine the metamodern shift in geographical thought, focusing on epistemological, ontological, and methodological transformations.We reinterpret geography as a post-disciplinary and post-paradigmatic scientific discipline that oscillates between various ontological, epistemological, and methodological frameworks. In this context, we emphasize the necessity for an open, reflective, and pluralistic approach that facilitates the integration of diverse types of knowledge and methodological strategies. Understood through the lens of metamodernism, geography becomes a field of dynamic oscillation between the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and technological interpretations of reality. This conceptualization of geography addresses the need for comprehensive, practice-oriented knowledge that can tackle contemporary global challenges, such as polycrisis. This aligns with zetetic epistemology, which prioritizes abductive reasoning (inference to the best explanation) over rigid deductive or inductive models. We introduce hylosemiotics as a methodological tool that enables researchers to analyze material-symbolic interactions in space and place. This approach integrates semiotic analysis with material studies, providing a novel framework for interpreting geographical landscapes.In doing so, we aim to encourage discussions about applying metamodernist concepts in geographical thought while also acknowledging its limitations and potential risks. Moreover, we underscore the necessity for further theoretical and empirical reflection to refine methodological strategies and practical applications of the metamodernist framework in geographical research.