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Scientific Article details

Title Axes of contestation in sustainability transitions
ID_Doc 18709
Authors Madsen, S; Miörner, J; Hansen, T
Title Axes of contestation in sustainability transitions
Year 2022
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.eist.2022.11.001
Abstract Research in sustainability transitions increasingly acknowledges that the structural characteristics of socio-technical systems differ. However, little attention has been paid to the specific transition dynamics that can result from this structural variation. In response, this paper develops a framework for studying transition dynamics that takes the structural characteristics of socio-technical systems and their influence on agency into account. We introduce the concept contes-tation axis to highlight alternative potential interfaces between functional solutions in a socio-technical system. We argue that considerable agency and frictions between actors can play out at other axes than between established regimes and emerging niches. Our conceptual framework is applied to a case study in the waste sector. We explore how the growing influence of the cir-cular economy triggers misalignment between multiple socio-technical configurations in the Danish waste sector. In the case, we zoom in on three actual frictions that have manifested along different contestation axes.
Author Keywords Socio-technical configurations; Contestation axis; Socio-technical system; Agency; Waste management
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED); Social Science Citation Index (SSCI)
EID WOS:000918643700004
WoS Category Environmental Sciences; Environmental Studies
Research Area Environmental Sciences & Ecology
PDF https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2022.11.001
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