Seeking sustainability discourses with Q methodology

Barry, John; Proops, John L. R.

doi:10.1016/s0921-8009(98)00053-6

Cited by 451 publications

(396 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This approach has proven fruitful for localized sustainability debates (e.g. Barry & Proops 1999; Lo forthcoming), but it is impractical for studies in which the focus is on Contemporary discourses of green political economy 15 international debates. Maximizing the geographical diversity of participants will generally necessitate carrying out the Q sort online.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Contemporary Discourses of Green Political Economy: A Q Method Analysis

Stevenson

2015

Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adger, Benjaminsen, Brown, & Svarstad, 2001;Barry & Proops, 1999;Connelly, 2007;Dryzek, 1997;Hajer, 1995;McManus, 1996). These studies have been influenced by diverse conceptualizations of discourse but perhaps the most widely cited definitions are those of Maarten Hajer and John Dryzek.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contemporary Discourses of Green Political Economy: A Q Method Analysis

Stevenson

2015

Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning

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“…(Stephenson, 1953). Increasingly, Q methodology has been used in other disciplines including political science (Brown, 1980) and environmental science (Barry and Proops, 1999). Q methodology researchers aim to establish patterns within the network of answers (the set as a whole) rather than compile individual answers.…”

Section: A Participatory Exploratory Scenario Analysis Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, it is not the respondents who are the focus of the approach, but the "constructs" of their minds. In other words, what Q methodology attempts to elicit are the variety of accounts or discourses about or around a particular discourse domain, theme, issue, or topic (Barry and Proops, 1999).…”

Section: A Participatory Exploratory Scenario Analysis Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

New future perspectives through constructive conflict: Exploring the future of gas in the Netherlands

Ligtvoet

Cuppen

Ruggero

et al. 2016

Futures

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This paper reports on the refinement of constructive conflict methodology (CCM) combining Q methodology and stakeholder dialogue workshops for gas futures for the Netherlands. Since the end of the 1950s, natural gas exploration and exploitation has been a major focus of the Dutch energy policy. Discussions about the future of energy in the Netherlands tend to focus either on pro-gas or pro-renewable energy. Using Q methodology we have constructed more nuanced perspectives on the future of energy in the Netherlands. We used these perspectives in a stakeholder dialogue, in which the participants further detailed the perspectives and discussed future policy options. Analysis of the outcomes of this process teaches us that the Netherlands remain gas-focused, that renewable energy sources are as much a dogma as nuclear power was in the 1960s, and that the prospect of an austere future is a non-debatable issue. From a methodological perspective it can be concluded that the refined methodology contributed to diversity in views, opened up the dominant discourse and led to learning among participating stakeholders.

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“…The purpose was to explore: the nature of tensions and agreements around what it is to be a sustainable university; how Q can be used to more effectively communicate a vision for change; and finally, what the nature of tensions at the university ultimately means for creating a vision for change. Q method has proved effective in other studies exploring the construction of sustainability discourses [35] and in the specific context of tertiary education both within environmental education [36] and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) [34]. This study provides an interesting point of departure for unearthing heretofore functionally transparent institutional cultures at the university and how these cultures interact with the concept of "sustainable university".…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Tale of Two (or More) Sustainabilities: A Q Methodology Study of University Professors’ Perspectives on Sustainable Universities

Wright

Sherren

2014

Sustainability

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Abstract:If change for sustainability in higher education is to be effective, change efforts must be sensitive to the institutional culture in which they will be applied. Therefore, gaining insight into how institutional stakeholders engage with the concept of sustainable universities is an important first step in understanding how to frame and communicate change. This study employed Q methodology to explore how a group of professors conceptualize sustainable universities. We developed a Q sample of 46 statements comprising common conceptions of sustainable universities and had 26 professors from Dalhousie University rank-order them over a quasi-normal distribution. Our analysis uncovered four statistically significant viewpoints amongst the participants: ranging from technocentric optimists who stress the importance of imbuing students with skills and values to more liberal arts minded faculty suspicious of the potential of sustainability to instrumentalize the university. An examination of how these viewpoints interact on a subjective level revealed a rotating series of alignments and antagonisms in relation to themes traditionally associated with sustainable universities and broader themes associated with the identity of the university in contemporary society. Finally, we conclude by discussing the potential implications that the nature of these alignments and antagonisms may hold for developing a culturally sensitive vision of a sustainable university.

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Seeking sustainability discourses with Q methodology

Cited by 451 publications

References 4 publications

Contemporary Discourses of Green Political Economy: A Q Method Analysis

Contemporary Discourses of Green Political Economy: A Q Method Analysis

New future perspectives through constructive conflict: Exploring the future of gas in the Netherlands

A Tale of Two (or More) Sustainabilities: A Q Methodology Study of University Professors’ Perspectives on Sustainable Universities

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