A proposed theoretical framework for actors in transformative change

Haan, Fjalar J. de; Rotmans, Jan

doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2017.12.017

Cited by 123 publications

(108 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Frameworks on sustainability transitions can be considered to all include actors, and how, in one way or the other, they participate in systemic change (de Haan & Rotmans, ). Yet the question of how actors relate to sociotechnical transitions has been increasingly debated in recent years (Avelino & Wittmayer, ; de Haan & Rotmans, ; Fischer & Newig, ). A bulk of this literature has explored the interplay of agency and institutions (Antadze & McGowan, ; Fuenfschilling & Truffer, ).…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For sustainability transitions to succeed, the role of actors, that is, agency, is critical. The sustainability transitions literature is placing increasing interest in the study of different forms of actors (Avelino & Wittmayer, ; de Haan & Rotmans, ; Fischer & Newig, ; Wittmayer, Avelino, van Steenberg, & Loorbach, ). To this end, Fischer and Newig () identified a number of actor categories including niche, regime, landscape, governmental, market, civil society, and intermediary actors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In parallel, scholars are exploring the interplay between agency and institutions (e.g., Antadze & McGowan, 2017;Fuenfschilling & Truffer, 2016). Although the study of agency often focuses on individual actors (e.g., Koehrsen, 2018;Pesch, Vernay, van Bueren, & Iverot, 2017), recently, a body of knowledge on collective agency has emerged (e.g., de Haan & Rotmans, 2018;Mossberg, Söderholm, Hellsmark, & Nordqvist, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, the transitions literature adopts a seemingly static view of human behavior (Pesch, 2015;van der Vleuten, 2018). Leading researchers have recently called for the need to further our appreciation of actors in sustainability transitions de Haan & Rotmans, 2018;Gazheli et al, 2015;Upham et al, 2018;Upham, Lis, Riesch, & Stankiewicz, 2015;van der Vleuten, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Active sustainability actors: A life course approach

Koistinen

Teerikangas

Mikkilä

et al. 2019

Sustainable Development

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There is an increasing interest in the role of actors in the pursuit of sustainability transitions. In this paper, we adopt a life course perspective to explore active sustainability actors. To this end, we interviewed 16 professionals across private, public, and third sectors in Finland. The paper's main implication is in introducing a life course perspective to the study of active sustainability actors. Second, we propose a grounded model of active actors' sustainability engagement. The model details sustainability agency formation and maintenance dynamics. Going forward, our findings are a call for further research on sustainability agency, be it in its engagement, via life courses, or via the study of different actor types.

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Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Active sustainability actors: A life course approach

Koistinen

Teerikangas

Mikkilä

et al. 2019

Sustainable Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recently, attention in the transition literature is shifting from a focus on systems and external shocks as drivers for transitions, towards one of developing an understanding of the way actors and their agency and power advances or impedes transitions (see e.g., References [27][28][29][30][31]. However, an ambiguous picture emerges: Smink et al [32] found that incumbents tend to hamper change.…”

Section: Incumbents In Transitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon Lock-Out: Leading the Fossil Port of Rotterdam into Transition

et al. 2018

Self Cite

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Abstract:The port of Rotterdam is a global leader in the fossil fuel economy, with a 50% market share for fossil fuel products in North-Western Europe. Although it is one of the most efficient and innovative ports globally, over the last decade it has seen a gradual increase of pressures on its activities and the need to develop alternative low-carbon strategies. This paper describes how a turbulent energy context, growing societal pressure and a change in the leadership of the Port Authority opened up space for a transition management process. The process impacted the business strategy and the discourse amongst its leaders and contributed to the set-up of a transition unit and a change in investments. It subsequently led to an externally oriented transition arena process with incumbent actors in the port area and actors from outside around the transition pathway to a circular and bio-based economy. By exploring how transition management could support the repositioning of incumbent actors in the energy transition, the research contributes to discussions in the transitions literature on regime destabilisation, the role of (incumbent) actors in transitions, and large-scale energy-intensive industries as the next frontier in the energy transition.

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Outdoor adventure education as a platform for developing environmental leadership

Hutson,

Baird,

Ives

et al. 2024

People and Nature

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Notwithstanding actions taken to date through policy, programmes and practices, the planet remains on an unsustainable pathway. System level and individual actions are needed to address the challenges that confront us. Finding approaches to encourage individual pro‐environmental behaviours are important for shifting an individual's actions, and these changes can have systemic implications. Outdoor adventure education programmes represent an ideal context to research the development of pro‐environmental behaviours. For outdoor adventure education to effect both individual and system‐level change, it is necessary for participants to connect learning from programmes to wider contexts where they can leverage influence. One of the prominent transferable outcomes of outdoor adventure education is the ability to serve in a leadership role. This article addresses the following primary research question: What aspects of outdoor adventure education programmes promote pro‐environmental behaviour intentions among participants? It explores this by examining various learning mechanisms and design features of NOLS, a global expeditionary outdoor adventure education programme formerly known as the National Outdoor Leadership School. Data were collected and analysed from 202 NOLS programme participants from around the world through open‐ended responses completed as part of a questionnaire at the end of the programme. Results showed that the most prominent aspects of the outdoor adventure education programme that helped to promote pro‐environmental behaviour intentions were the building of conservation and environmental issue awareness, the practice of minimum impact techniques, and engagement in waste and food management. These programme aspects were produced through the learning mechanism domains of structure‐oriented learning, instructor‐oriented learning, environment‐oriented learning, instructor‐and‐student oriented learning and independent student‐oriented learning to varying degrees. Our results illuminate design features of outdoor adventure education that have potential to generate and support environmental commitment and show how pro‐environmental learning is mediated through broad exposure to an array of activities and learning mechanism domains. In combination with the leadership development components, our results suggest that outdoor adventure education programmes show promise for developing and supporting environmental commitment in individuals necessary for solving global environmental crises now and in the future. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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A proposed theoretical framework for actors in transformative change

Cited by 123 publications

References 35 publications

Active sustainability actors: A life course approach

Active sustainability actors: A life course approach

Carbon Lock-Out: Leading the Fossil Port of Rotterdam into Transition

Outdoor adventure education as a platform for developing environmental leadership

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