Datum
2024-02-14Autor
Horcea-Milcu, Andra-IoanaDorresteijn, IneLeventon, JuliaStojanovic, MilutinLam, David Patrick MichaelLang, Daniel J.Moriggi, AngelaRaymond, Christopher MarkStålhammar, SannaWeiser, AnnikaZimmermann, SiljaSchlagwort
300 Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie 330 Wirtschaft ReflexivitätNachhaltigkeitWissensmanagementMetadata
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Aufsatz
Transformative research for sustainability: characteristics, tensions, and moving forward
Zusammenfassung
Technical summary:
The question of how science can become a lever in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals permeates most recent sustainability research. Wide-ranging literature calling for a transformative approach has emerged in recent years. This ‘transformative turn’ is fueled by publications from fields such as sustainability science, social-ecological research, conservation science, sustainability transitions, or sustainability governance studies. However, there is a lack of a shared understanding specifically of what is meant for research to be transformative in this developing discourse around doing science differently to tackle sustainability problems. We aim to advance transformative research for sustainability. We define transformative research and outline six of its characteristics: (1) interventional nature and a theory of change focus; (2) collaborative modes of knowledge production, experimentation and learning; (3) systems thinking literacy and contextualization; (4) reflexivity, normative and inner dimensions; (5) local agency, decolonization, and reshaping power; (6) new quality criteria and rethinking impact. We highlight three tensions between transformative research and traditional paradigms of academic research: (1) process- and output-orientation; (2) accountability toward society and toward science; (3) methodologies rooted in scientific traditions and post-normal methodologies. We conclude with future directions on how academia could reconcile these tensions to support and promote transformative research.
Non-technical summary:
Dominant ways of doing research are not enough to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The typical response of science to dealing with the current local and global sustainability crises is to produce and accumulate more knowledge. Transformative research seeks to couple knowledge production with co-creating change. This paper defines the transformative way of doing research to pro-actively support society's fight against pressing societal and environmental problems. We present six characteristics of transformative research. We reflect on the challenges related to implementing these characteristics in scientific practice and on how academia can play its part.
Social media summary:
Sustainability transformation needs to be reflected in science, but what makes sustainability research transformative?
The question of how science can become a lever in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals permeates most recent sustainability research. Wide-ranging literature calling for a transformative approach has emerged in recent years. This ‘transformative turn’ is fueled by publications from fields such as sustainability science, social-ecological research, conservation science, sustainability transitions, or sustainability governance studies. However, there is a lack of a shared understanding specifically of what is meant for research to be transformative in this developing discourse around doing science differently to tackle sustainability problems. We aim to advance transformative research for sustainability. We define transformative research and outline six of its characteristics: (1) interventional nature and a theory of change focus; (2) collaborative modes of knowledge production, experimentation and learning; (3) systems thinking literacy and contextualization; (4) reflexivity, normative and inner dimensions; (5) local agency, decolonization, and reshaping power; (6) new quality criteria and rethinking impact. We highlight three tensions between transformative research and traditional paradigms of academic research: (1) process- and output-orientation; (2) accountability toward society and toward science; (3) methodologies rooted in scientific traditions and post-normal methodologies. We conclude with future directions on how academia could reconcile these tensions to support and promote transformative research.
Non-technical summary:
Dominant ways of doing research are not enough to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The typical response of science to dealing with the current local and global sustainability crises is to produce and accumulate more knowledge. Transformative research seeks to couple knowledge production with co-creating change. This paper defines the transformative way of doing research to pro-actively support society's fight against pressing societal and environmental problems. We present six characteristics of transformative research. We reflect on the challenges related to implementing these characteristics in scientific practice and on how academia can play its part.
Social media summary:
Sustainability transformation needs to be reflected in science, but what makes sustainability research transformative?
Zitierform
In: Global Sustainability Volume 7 (2024-02-14) eissn:2059-4798Zitieren
@article{doi:10.17170/kobra-2024061410357,
author={Horcea-Milcu, Andra-Ioana and Dorresteijn, Ine and Leventon, Julia and Stojanovic, Milutin and Lam, David Patrick Michael and Lang, Daniel J. and Moriggi, Angela and Raymond, Christopher Mark and Stålhammar, Sanna and Weiser, Annika and Zimmermann, Silja},
title={Transformative research for sustainability: characteristics, tensions, and moving forward},
journal={Global Sustainability},
year={2024}
}
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2024-06-14T13:59:25Z 2024-06-14T13:59:25Z 2024-02-14 doi:10.17170/kobra-2024061410357 http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/15853 eng Namensnennung 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ mode-2 science power reflexivity systems thinking transformation knowledge 300 330 Transformative research for sustainability: characteristics, tensions, and moving forward Aufsatz Technical summary: The question of how science can become a lever in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals permeates most recent sustainability research. Wide-ranging literature calling for a transformative approach has emerged in recent years. This ‘transformative turn’ is fueled by publications from fields such as sustainability science, social-ecological research, conservation science, sustainability transitions, or sustainability governance studies. However, there is a lack of a shared understanding specifically of what is meant for research to be transformative in this developing discourse around doing science differently to tackle sustainability problems. We aim to advance transformative research for sustainability. We define transformative research and outline six of its characteristics: (1) interventional nature and a theory of change focus; (2) collaborative modes of knowledge production, experimentation and learning; (3) systems thinking literacy and contextualization; (4) reflexivity, normative and inner dimensions; (5) local agency, decolonization, and reshaping power; (6) new quality criteria and rethinking impact. We highlight three tensions between transformative research and traditional paradigms of academic research: (1) process- and output-orientation; (2) accountability toward society and toward science; (3) methodologies rooted in scientific traditions and post-normal methodologies. We conclude with future directions on how academia could reconcile these tensions to support and promote transformative research. Non-technical summary: Dominant ways of doing research are not enough to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The typical response of science to dealing with the current local and global sustainability crises is to produce and accumulate more knowledge. Transformative research seeks to couple knowledge production with co-creating change. This paper defines the transformative way of doing research to pro-actively support society's fight against pressing societal and environmental problems. We present six characteristics of transformative research. We reflect on the challenges related to implementing these characteristics in scientific practice and on how academia can play its part. Social media summary: Sustainability transformation needs to be reflected in science, but what makes sustainability research transformative? open access Horcea-Milcu, Andra-Ioana Dorresteijn, Ine Leventon, Julia Stojanovic, Milutin Lam, David Patrick Michael Lang, Daniel J. Moriggi, Angela Raymond, Christopher Mark Stålhammar, Sanna Weiser, Annika Zimmermann, Silja 16 Seiten doi:10.1017/sus.2024.1 Reflexivität Nachhaltigkeit Wissensmanagement publishedVersion eissn:2059-4798 Global Sustainability Volume 7 false e14
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