Justice Over Growth: A Maqasid-Based Reassessment of Neoliberal and Socialist Climate Policies

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines how Maqasid al-Sharia serves as an ethical lens to evaluate and compare neoliberal and socialist economic models under climate change, aiming to map the scientific landscape, address structural gaps, and challenge growth-centric assumptions. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducts a hybrid evaluation combining a bibliometric literature mapping approach with an integrated evidence synthesis leveraging the PICOS framework for study selection. Following comprehensive searches across Scopus and Web of Science, 690 initial records were screened through co-occurrence and citation networks, resulting in the final inclusion of one empirical study matching the rigorous PICOS criteria. Qualitative approaches dominate the mapped landscape (82%), while empirical mixed-methods designs are completely absent. Practical implications: The findings reveal a striking empirical scarcity, identifying only one qualitative study—a Maqasid-adjusted scorecard for Indonesia's energy transition. Four major structural gaps are highlighted: a lack of comparative empirical evaluations using a consistent scorecard, missing empirical validation for Maqasid indicators, an underrepresentation of affective and conative justice, and a heavy geographical concentration in a few Muslim-majority countries. Consequently, future research must prioritize mixed-methods designs, comparative case studies, and geographical expansion to Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. Originality/value: This research offers unique value by presenting a novel classification matrix integrating cognitive, affective, and conative justice components alongside a bibliometrically derived research agenda. It demonstrates that Maqasid al-Sharia provides a holistic, multidimensional, yet severely underutilized framework for assessing intergenerational and ecological justice beyond conventional Western-centric critiques