Sociology for sustainability science

Longo, Stefano B.; Isgren, Ellinor; Clark, Brett; Jorgenson, Andrew K.; Jerneck, Anne; Olsson, Lennart; Kelly, Orla; Harnesk, David; York, Richard

doi:10.1007/s43621-021-00056-5

Cited by 24 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 112 publications

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“…Although comparatively underfunded and historically under-engaged (Overland and Sovacool, 2020), the social sciences have much to add to addressing the sustainability crises. These rich theoretical and empirical evidence bases reveal the psychological, political, social and cultural factors underpinning the sustainability crises, and are critical to successful design and implementation of transformative solutions (Dietz et al, 2020;Longo et al, 2021).…”

Section: Research Agendas For Societal Transformationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Education in a warming world: Trends, opportunities and pitfalls for institutes of higher education

Kelly¹,

Illingworth²,

Butera³

et al. 2022

Front. Sustain.

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Higher education institutes (HEI) face considerable challenges in navigating how to respond to the escalating and intertwined socio-ecological sustainability crises. Many dedicated individuals working in the sector are already driving meaningful action through rigorous research, teaching, knowledge sharing, and public engagement, while there is a growing consensus that sector-wide change is needed to ensure that aspirational declarations and positive individual actions translate into sustainable and transformative change. This article seeks to contribute to such efforts by illustrating a number of trends, examples, and reflections on how third-level educational institutes can act sustainably. We highlight the potential of five strategies HEI could employ to support the creation of a more sustainable future namely, (i) innovative approaches to climate change education; (ii) research agendas for societal transformations; (iii) providing climate change education for professional development; (iv) supporting public intellectuals; and (iv) investing in whole-systems approaches to greening the campus. The insights are the product of an interdisciplinary working group with members from across Europe, Australia, and the UK. These international examples provide insight and a sense of possibility for future application.

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Section: Research Agendas For Societal Transformationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Education in a warming world: Trends, opportunities and pitfalls for institutes of higher education

Kelly¹,

Illingworth²,

Butera³

et al. 2022

Front. Sustain.

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“…The so-called political leaning that Bodin (2021) identifies may not simply be attributed to ideology or the political preferences of analysts, but also to different training in social analysis and theory. Social analysts can draw on rich theoretical traditions that reveal the taken-for-granted (common sense) assumptions about sociohistorical conditions, social processes, and individual behaviors, which may prompt them to present analyses that challenge existing social circumstances (Longo et al 2021). Gramsci (1971) and many others clarify that reflexive awareness of the position of the analyst in their social setting is indeed key to this development.…”

Section: The Necessity Of Social Theory When Asking Social Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability science must challenge common sense: a response to Bodin (2021)

Isgren

Longo

2022

Sustain Sci

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In this comment, we respond to the claim of (Bodin, Sustain Sci 16: 2151–2155, 2021) that sustainability science, as a research community, has begun to “lean to the left” in a problematic manner. On one hand, we remain unconvinced by the examples cited as indications for this tendency, and argue for caution in making such judgements. On the other hand, we hold that that there may be reasons for seemingly “left leaning” positions which are scientific rather than purely political or ideological. Finally, we urge sustainability scientists to take heed of social theorists’ insights regarding the pitfalls of common sense analysis. This can better enable open and reflexive debate on the field’s development as well as the challenges it seeks to address.

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“…away from fossil fuels), magnifying environmental inequalities, externalizing costs, dominating cultural institutions (e.g. mass media and universities), consolidating public wealth and resources, among other processes (Howard, 2016;Longo et al, 2021b).…”

Section: Power In Concentrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The keystone actor model instead implies that historically developed, social structural circumstances are given, fixed, and essentially unchangeable. This ‘common-sense’ social analysis stems from an ahistorical starting point, lacking in the wealth of knowledge from social science, and particularly the rich insights from historical sociology (Longo et al, 2021b). In terms of social theory, it takes the current social order as a functional necessity and results in positing a ‘false necessity’ to social conditions (Calhoun, 2003).…”

Section: Naturalizing Social Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…What sustainable alternatives are limited due to the further entrenchment of existing and highly unequal political-economic relations (Crews, Carton, & Olsson, 2018)? Theoretical foundations and methodological heuristics for research along these lines have been elaborated elsewhere (Harnesk & Isgren, 2021; Longo et al, 2021b).…”

Section: Conclusion: Sustainability Science For Just Transformative C...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Key challenges to the corporate biosphere stewardship research program: inequity, reification, and stakeholder commensurability

2022

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Non-Technical Summary Research on “corporate biosphere stewardship” and the related concept of “keystone actor” has proliferated in recent years. We scrutinize the program focusing on issues and assumptions associated with inequality, naturalizing social processes, or reification, and characterizing corporations as equivalent stakeholders in sustainable development with other actors and organizations. As a result, we argue the program does not promote the stated claim of transformative change for sustainability. We suggest that the research program should develop a deeper analysis of social dynamics, forces, and structures, based in social theory, particularly sociological work, which can help reveal common taken for granted assumptions. Technical Summary We highlight important assumptions associated with the research program in sustainability science developed around “corporate biosphere stewardship” and the promise of “science-business initiatives.” In doing so, we interrogate a central concept in this research, “keystone actors.” We analyze the program based on associated research outputs and communications, focusing on three key challenges 1) inequities related to the concentration of political-economic power 2) concerns with naturalizing social processes, or reification, and 3) the limitations of characterizing corporations as commensurable stakeholders in sustainable development. This research program has revealed some important conditions and dynamics in relation to consolidation and concentration in global industries. However, it has been limited by insufficient integration of knowledge from social science, particularly sociology. Thus, the approach tends to undertheorize social dynamics, processes, and structures. Despite being framed as an effort at “improving the prospects for transformative change,” the implications, outcomes, and recommendations that emerge from this research program may inadvertently promote increased control and power of elite actors by presenting an ostensible inevitability of corporate dominance for bringing about social welfare and sustainability. We suggest greater attention to social structural dynamics, and particularly social struggles and social movements, when considering the potential for transformational change for sustainability.

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Sociology for sustainability science

Cited by 24 publications

References 112 publications

Education in a warming world: Trends, opportunities and pitfalls for institutes of higher education

Education in a warming world: Trends, opportunities and pitfalls for institutes of higher education

Sustainability science must challenge common sense: a response to Bodin (2021)

Key challenges to the corporate biosphere stewardship research program: inequity, reification, and stakeholder commensurability

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