"Doing more good": Exploring the multidisciplinary landscape of regeneration as a boundary concept for paradigm change

Abstract

The concept of regeneration is gaining traction across diverse disciplines, from agriculture and engineering to business and the social sciences. More than just a buzzword, regeneration is emerg­ing as a pivotal boundary object in a paradigm shift that is redefining design principles and transform­ing humanity’s relationship with the environment. This narrative review explores regeneration’s jour­ney from its literal origins in biology and engineer­ing to its metaphorical applications in areas such as regenerative economics, agriculture, and culture. We argue that regeneration’s conceptual fluidity allows it to adapt and resonate across domains while maintaining a core ethos of holistic, proactive care and stewardship. Central to regeneration is the notion of generativity—a principle that champions giving back more than what is taken, fostering reci­procity, and co-creating a thriving world for all. As regeneration gains prominence, there are risks that it will be misappropriated or diluted by greenwash­ers; however, its power lies in its ability to facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue and place-based solu­tions. Rather than limiting regeneration through strict definitions, we propose nurturing its develop­ment through collaborative social agreements like covenants and treaties that enshrine its core tenets of generativity, diversity, and care. We believe that regeneration’s emergence across disciplines heralds a new era of environmental thought and action—one where humanity moves beyond harm reduc­tion to actively healing and enriching the social and ecological systems that we are part of. This review provides a foundation for scholars and practition­ers to engage critically with regeneration and col­laborate across boundaries to address pressing socio-ecological challenges.