Sustainability transitions: rethinking everyday practices, identities and livelihoods
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Brown G
(2012)
Holding the Future Together: Towards a Theorisation of the Spaces and Times of Transition
in Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space
Cato M
(2015)
Rethinking the Factors of Production for a World of Common Ownership and Sustainability Europe and Latin America Compared
in Review of Radical Political Economics
Hargreaves T
(2013)
Up, Down, round and round: Connecting Regimes and Practices in Innovation for Sustainability
in Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space
Jill E. Anderson (Co-Author)
(2012)
Queer ecology : a roundtable discussion
in European journal of ecopsychology
Mason K
(2012)
Epistemologies of Participation, or, What Do Critical Human Geographers Know That's of Any Use?
in Antipode
Mike Hodson
(2012)
Low carbon transitions : relevant lessons from the 1970s crisis?
North P
(2011)
The Politics of Climate Activism in the UK: A Social Movement Analysis
in Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space
Pickerill Doctor Jenny
(2016)
Eco-Homes: People, Place and Politics
Seyfang G
(2012)
Growing Grassroots Innovations: Exploring the Role of Community-Based Initiatives in Governing Sustainable Energy Transitions
in Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy
| Description | There was a high level of demand for all events in the seminar series (bookings ranged from 48 for the first seminar to 29 for the final, two-day event) and places were offered to all who booked. Feedback from participants demonstrates that they appreciated the opportunity to hear interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainability transitions, the dialogue between academics and 'activists', and the networking opportunities afforded by the events. While valued by many participants, the attempts to foster dialogue between practitioners, activists and academics were not always successful (see http://manchesterclimatemonthly.net/2012/05/01/event-report-low-carbon-transitions-relevant-lessons-from-the-1970s-crisis/). This prompted Mason, Brown and Pickerill (2013) to reflect further on how specialist language, economics, and different understandings of what constitutes 'useful knowledge' can serve as barriers to dialogue and effective collaboration. The seminar series inspired participants researching different aspects of sustainability to re-evaluate the potential for using the concept of 'transition' in their work: "the series stimulated me to think more deeply about transitions" (Robyn Dowling); and, "the seminar actually made me more aware of the potential of the transition concept and raised the visibility of the term and approach in my own research," (James Evans). Several of the co-applicants have since published work that critically engages with the concept of 'transition': North and Longhurst (forthcoming) have questioned the potential and limits of 'transition' as a form of eco-localisation within the Transition Towns movement; while (Brown, Kraftl, Pickerill and Upton 2012) have theorised 'transition' as a process of 'holding together' the potentially conflicting aspirations of diverse social actors in a time of crisis. In advance of the third seminar, a discussion paper was circulated (Hodson, Marvin and Smith 2012) which examined the similarities and differences between the sustainability innovations enacted during the financial and energy crisis of the 1970s and those being developed today. They posed pertinent questions about who benefits from experimentation with 'alternatives' in periods of crisis. A key theme running through the seminar series was around questions of identity/difference, and related issues of equality and social justice within sustainability transitions. Brown (Anderson et al. 2012) has theorised that identity politics, as it has developed in the last four decades, must be understood in the context of the era of high carbon consumption. Seminars 2, 4 and 5 provoked participants to re-consider the notion of resilience in the Transition Town movement, to think transnationally about societal transitions, and to question the classed/racialized norms that are embedded within 'sustainability transitions' practices. The intersections between individual, collective and societal transitions are at the core of follow-up research planned by Brown, Mason, North, Pickerill and Amanda Smith. In addition to the planned research mentioned above, the seminar series has enabled new collaborations between (and beyond) members of the core group. North and Amanda Smith co-organised a session on 'Urban Resilience' at the 2012 Royal Geographical Society conference. Brown and Pickerill are organising a workshop with researchers from the Public Interest Research Centre to explore potential collaboration around PIRC's work on the power of personal 'values' in social change. |
| Exploitation Route | The co-applicants are embedded in local, regional and national initiatives about environmental justice and sustainability. They will continue to work with practitioners and local communities to translate critical social science research into effective policy and practice that addresses social, cultural and everyday economic factors in sustainability transitions. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Energy Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://sustainabilitytransitions.info/ |
| Description | The co-applicants and many of the participants in this seminar series are embedded in local, regional and national initiatives about environmental justice and sustainability. They continue to work with practitioners and local communities to translate critical social science research into effective policy and practice that addresses social, cultural and everyday economic factors in sustainability transitions. For Gavin Brown, Kelvin Mason, Peter North, Jenny Pickerill and Amanda Smith the discussions about diverse forms of transition that were fostered by this seminar series has led to further work exploring the ways in which political engagement and activism changes across the lifecourse. They are pursuing these ideas through a variety of small research projects at present. In particular, Kelvin Mason (who no longer works in academia), advised by Gavin Brown and Peter North has led a Heritage Lottery Fund project to record an oral history of members of the Campaign Choirs Network. For the most part, the members of these political street choirs are aged 50 - 70 and have rich stories to tell about activism and campaigning across the lifecourse. This work has resulted in a book, Singing for Our Lives, due to be published by HammerOn Press in June 2018. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Energy,Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Description | Funding Award |
| Amount | £1,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2014 |
| End | 10/2015 |
| Description | Small grant scheme |
| Amount | £1,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2014 |
| End | 08/2015 |
| Description | The Lucas Plan: What can it tell us about democratising technology today? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | This commentary piece, written for The Guardian builds on discussions arising from the third seminar in the series about lessons from the 1970s. Thirty-eight years ago, a movement for 'socially useful production' pioneered practical approaches for more democratic technology development. This article discusses some of the lessons from that time. The Guardian |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2014/jan/22/remembering-the-lucas-plan-what-can... |