Principled Pragmatism in Water Resources Research: An Historical and Philosophical Perspective on Studies in South Asia and Beyond

Abstract Principled pragmatism is a broad and expanding approach to water policy research, especially in the South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. These studies advocate policies that are both pragmatic, in the ordinary language sense of the term, and principled. However, our review found that principled pragmatism research has not drawn on the philosophical pragmatism of John Dewey and others, which has been influential across many fields of social and environmental science, including water resources research. We review the influence of philosophical pragmatism on water resources research, notably that of geographer Gilbert F. White, and survey its expanding influence in water and environmental studies. With this perspective on philosophical pragmatism, we retrace the historical origins and development of…