An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions

Jonathan Köhler; Frank W. Geels; Florian Kern; Jochen Markard; Anna Wieczorek; Floortje Alkemade; Flor Avelino; Anna Bergek; Frank Boons; Lea Fünfschilling; David Hess; Georg Holtz; Sampsa Hyysalo; Kirsten Jenkins; Paula Kivimaa; Mari Martiskainen; Andrew McMeekin; Marie Susan Mühlemeier; Bjorn Nykvist; Elsie Onsongo; Bonno Pel; Rob Raven; Harald Rohracher; Björn Sandén; Johan Schot; Benjamin Sovacool; Bruno Turnheim; Dan Welch; Peter Wells

doi:10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004

An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions

Jonathan Köhler (Corresponding author), Frank W. Geels, Florian Kern, Jochen Markard, Anna Wieczorek, Floortje Alkemade, Flor Avelino, Anna Bergek, Frank Boons, Lea Fünfschilling, David Hess, Georg Holtz, Sampsa Hyysalo, Kirsten Jenkins, Paula Kivimaa, Mari Martiskainen, Andrew McMeekin, Marie Susan Mühlemeier, Bjorn Nykvist, Elsie OnsongoBonno Pel, Rob Raven, Harald Rohracher, Björn Sandén, Johan Schot, Benjamin Sovacool, Bruno Turnheim, Dan Welch, Peter Wells

Technology, Innovation & Society

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Research on sustainability transitions has expanded rapidly in the last ten years, diversified in terms of topics and geographical applications, and deepened with respect to theories and methods. This article provides an extensive review and an updated research agenda for the field, classified into nine main themes: understanding transitions; power, agency and politics; governing transitions; civil society, culture and social movements; businesses and industries; transitions in practice and everyday life; geography of transitions; ethical aspects; and methodologies. The review shows that the scope of sustainability transitions research has broadened and connections to established disciplines have grown stronger. At the same time, we see that the grand challenges related to sustainability remain unsolved, calling for continued efforts and an acceleration of ongoing transitions. Transition studies can play a key role in this regard by creating new perspectives, approaches and understanding and helping to move society in the direction of sustainability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-32
Number of pages	32
Journal	Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
Volume	31
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2019

Keywords

Research agenda
Socio-technical systems
Sustainability
Transformation
Transitions

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004

published versionFinal published version, 1.35 MBLicence: TAVERNE

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Köhler, J., Geels, F. W., Kern, F., Markard, J., Wieczorek, A., Alkemade, F., Avelino, F., Bergek, A., Boons, F., Fünfschilling, L., Hess, D., Holtz, G., Hyysalo, S., Jenkins, K., Kivimaa, P., Martiskainen, M., McMeekin, A., Mühlemeier, M. S., Nykvist, B., ... Wells, P. (2019). An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 31, 1-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004

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title = "An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions",

abstract = "Research on sustainability transitions has expanded rapidly in the last ten years, diversified in terms of topics and geographical applications, and deepened with respect to theories and methods. This article provides an extensive review and an updated research agenda for the field, classified into nine main themes: understanding transitions; power, agency and politics; governing transitions; civil society, culture and social movements; businesses and industries; transitions in practice and everyday life; geography of transitions; ethical aspects; and methodologies. The review shows that the scope of sustainability transitions research has broadened and connections to established disciplines have grown stronger. At the same time, we see that the grand challenges related to sustainability remain unsolved, calling for continued efforts and an acceleration of ongoing transitions. Transition studies can play a key role in this regard by creating new perspectives, approaches and understanding and helping to move society in the direction of sustainability.",

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Köhler, J, Geels, FW, Kern, F, Markard, J, Wieczorek, A , Alkemade, F, Avelino, F, Bergek, A, Boons, F, Fünfschilling, L, Hess, D, Holtz, G, Hyysalo, S, Jenkins, K, Kivimaa, P, Martiskainen, M, McMeekin, A, Mühlemeier, MS, Nykvist, B, Onsongo, E, Pel, B, Raven, R, Rohracher, H, Sandén, B, Schot, J, Sovacool, B, Turnheim, B, Welch, D & Wells, P 2019, 'An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions', Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, vol. 31, pp. 1-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004

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AU - Köhler, Jonathan

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AU - Wieczorek, Anna

AU - Alkemade, Floortje

AU - Avelino, Flor

AU - Bergek, Anna

AU - Boons, Frank

AU - Fünfschilling, Lea

AU - Hess, David

AU - Holtz, Georg

AU - Hyysalo, Sampsa

AU - Jenkins, Kirsten

AU - Kivimaa, Paula

AU - Martiskainen, Mari

AU - McMeekin, Andrew

AU - Mühlemeier, Marie Susan

AU - Nykvist, Bjorn

AU - Onsongo, Elsie

AU - Pel, Bonno

AU - Raven, Rob

AU - Rohracher, Harald

AU - Sandén, Björn

AU - Schot, Johan

AU - Sovacool, Benjamin

AU - Turnheim, Bruno

AU - Welch, Dan

AU - Wells, Peter

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AB - Research on sustainability transitions has expanded rapidly in the last ten years, diversified in terms of topics and geographical applications, and deepened with respect to theories and methods. This article provides an extensive review and an updated research agenda for the field, classified into nine main themes: understanding transitions; power, agency and politics; governing transitions; civil society, culture and social movements; businesses and industries; transitions in practice and everyday life; geography of transitions; ethical aspects; and methodologies. The review shows that the scope of sustainability transitions research has broadened and connections to established disciplines have grown stronger. At the same time, we see that the grand challenges related to sustainability remain unsolved, calling for continued efforts and an acceleration of ongoing transitions. Transition studies can play a key role in this regard by creating new perspectives, approaches and understanding and helping to move society in the direction of sustainability.

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SP - 1

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JO - Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions

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ER -

An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Sustainability Transitions Research Network (External organisation)

Cite this

An agenda for sustainability transitions research: state of the art and future directions

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Activities

Sustainability Transitions Research Network (External organisation)

Cite this