EDS306 Green transformations in theory and practice

During the past decade, efforts to tackle current environmental issues have been increasingly framed under the term ‘green transformation’, arguing for a wholesale re-organization of socio-economic systems that will allow societies to tackle environmental problems, while at the same time maintaining and increasing levels of prosperity and well-being. This dual goal acknowledges the severity of current environmental problems (e.g. climate change, biodiversity (species and habitat) loss, pollution, resource degradation) and proposes what is usually perceived as dramatic social changes. There is however very little critical reflection in public debates and policy arenas as to how drastic changes in societies come about, under which circumstances and with what mechanisms and consequences. This course addresses this gap by critically scrutinizing the assumptions, problems and solutions inherent in green transformations. It does so by drawing on 1) different strands of social science theories of change and 2) empirical material that illustrates how social changes come about.

In doing so, it draws on broad fields of study like environmental governance, human geography, socio-technical transitions, and dynamics of social practices. The common idea of these fields is that the types social changes recently proposed by green transformations are difficult to achieve and often unpredictable. Existing socio-technical system such as our energy, transport, housing and agri-food arrangements rely on ‘heavy’ lock-in dynamics such as infrastructural investments, regulations, subsidies schemes, vested interests, behavior patterns. These are in turn difficult to address at one level (regional, national, local) and often require slow-moving incremental adjustments, rather than wholesale transformations. In addition, practices such as greenhouse gas emission patterns are difficult to understand and tackle by ‘editing’ individuals’ choices and ‘nudging’ them toward sustainability, because they rely on practices that are social rather than individual.

The course opens therefore by investigating critically the content of green transformation policy documents and plans from various Western contexts. Students will also acquire skills in content analysis and synthesis of such policy programmes and documents. Subsequently, the content, assumptions and pathways of green transformation will be contrasted to theoretical insights from social sciences regarding social transitions. Students will be provided with detailed insight into how to understand and analyze social change by drawing attention to historically and culturally specific trajectories of what people do, and how certain practices replace others as a result of accumulations of meaning, materiality and competence. For instance, social practices around heating and cooling of public spaces required new meanings/ideas of what it means to be comfortable, material heating/cooling systems, and competences around the latter. Practice theories, socio-technical transition management, transformation of nature, capitalist transformation, theories of institutional change, and theories of futurism and prefiguration are some of the main theoretical approaches that are going to be used. These will provide the students with the necessary key concepts, frameworks and tools to analyse concrete examples of environmental problems and possible solutions in the current context of ‘green transformations’.

The course will however ensure ample space for discussion and deliberation among students, especially in relation to the seminars. These will be anchored on concrete current and historical examples (successful or failed) of transitions toward sustainability in practice. In addition, the practice focus will also aim to include direct accounts from environmental policy processes in Norway and internationally. Guest lectures on such lectures are being considered but subject to availability of guest lecturers.

The aim of the course is providing attendants with interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and competences that allow them to critically understand, analyze, and critique environmental problems and solutions. Particular emphasis is placed on mastering insights from different theoretical and empirical evidence about social change toward sustainability.

Knowledge: Varied and detailed knowledge regarding the drivers of environmental problems and the possible solutions to these. In depth understanding of key concepts, theoretical frameworks and analytical tools relevant to current environmental issues. Critical insights into the difficulties and possibilities of governed social change.

Skills: Ability to understanding, analyzing and critique environmental policy formulations for sustainability; Achieve updated knowledge and historical overview of the sustainability field of studies with emphasis on processes of social change; ability to draw on and contrast fruitfully competing theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches to study environmental issues.

General competence: Develop analytical and theoretical skills for understanding current environmental problems. Develop critical perspectives on the assumptions, vested interests, and potential pitfalls of the governance of green transformations. By completion, the students will have acquired insight into own positionality and sociality of their own practices relevant to sustainability transitions.