| 1. |
- Andersson, David, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Reflections on evaluating Challenge Lab by applying a proposed scheme for Sustainability Transition Experiments
- 2016
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Ingår i: IST 2016 Book of Conference Papers.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Challenge Lab (CLab) is a neutral arena for triple helix stakeholders and an educational platform for master students to addresses complex challenges and system lockins. By the end of its third year, the CLab will have hosted nearly 100 students, producing 23 master thesis projects and 13 course projects. We present an evaluative case using the scheme proposed by Luederitz et al. (2016) for sustainability transition experiments which includes four main questions and a set of indicators for each question. We end with some general reflections on the evaluation method.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Holmberg, John, 1963, et al.
(författare)
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Students guiding societal transitions - examples from Challenge Lab at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: 8th Conference on Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD) in Bruges, Belgium.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Engaging in sustainability transitions of socio-technical systems, where universities need to collaborate with the public- and private sector (together forming the triple helix) is often hindered by various kinds of lock-ins. Actors are in general divided in silo-settings dealing with one issue at a time having narrow perspectives, vested interests and serve goals of sub-systems (or even individual departments) instead of the system as a whole. Furthermore, established socio-technical regimes are subject to path dependencies and incremental realignments. In Sweden, previous attempts to solve this include companies, governmental bodies and researchers acting individually to bring together stakeholders to address the lock-ins. As a complement, a neutral “Challenge Lab” arena built around master students from Chalmers University was established at one of the science parks in Gothenburg. The students may have a unique role to play in the transitions since they are knowledgeable yet unthreatening fostering dialogue between triple helix stakeholders. Interviews with involved actors indicate that students can act as a bonding medium by building trust between stakeholders yet challenging underlying assumptions. Other universities can adopt this model for educating students and engaging in sustainability transitions, even beyond the triple helix.
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| 4. |
- Larsson, Johan, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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Backcasting from sustainability principles – a case from a regional climate policy process in West Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: IST 2016 Book of Conference Papers.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Global sustainability goals and radical innovation put many of today’s societal systems under pressure. It is a question of transitions, where new governance- approaches are sought after to guide, induce and accelerate the transitions into desirable pathways. In this paper a regional policy process aiming at creating a new climate strategy for the region is studied. The process in which 100 stakeholders took part followed a backcasting-approach from sustainability principles and had the ambition to integrate social, economical and ecological dimensions of sustainability. The results point at that principles- based approaches can play a role in addressing the complex issues ahead as they: (1) can open up for transformation by guiding thinking beyond today’s unsustainable and locked-in systems; (2) support the handling of complex issues and frame challenges for integrated measures, and; (3) form a common ground as shared mental models to in dialogue foster perspective awareness, trust-building and create new actor-constellations for future collaboration.
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| 5. |
- Larsson, Johan, 1990
(författare)
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Guiding Sustainability Transitions: Backcasting, Experimentation and Social learning
- 2019
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Sustainability challenges including climate change, social injustice, resource depletion and biodiversity loss are becoming increasingly apparent. These challenges can be understood as partly resulting from unsustainable socio-technical systems in society, assumed to require transitions to become sustainable in time. When moving beyond more conventional attempts to analyse and describe sustainability challenges, there is an increasing research interest in solutions-oriented and prescriptive approaches to meaningfully engage with sustainability challenges in various contexts. The aim of this thesis is to contribute knowledge on how societal transitions can be guided into desirable and sustainable pathways, where social learning is assumed a key process. The many designs and frameworks for engaging with sustainability transitions that prevail in literature seldom provide insights into the contingent nature of its application in its particular context, the prior knowledge and beliefs of participating actors, or an unpacking of how and why (transformative) social learning processes might unfold. Through inter- and transdisciplinary research and drawing on case studies and ethnographic methods, this thesis includes further development and an empirical evaluation of a backcasting-from-principles process in two settings: a ‘Challenge Lab’ arena that creates space for students to lead sustainability transitions (Paper I), and a regional multi-stakeholder process related to climate policy (Paper II). These studies represent initial attempts to better understand conditions and mechanisms into the kinds of learning that occur in these spaces. Finally, this thesis develops hypotheses on capabilities of sustainability principles in navigating transitions, and particular tools that may be used within and beyond backcasting settings to provide structure in inspiring and supporting conversations on sustainable and desirable futures (Paper III).
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