Abstract: The concept of ‘sustainable welfare’ conceptualizes welfare and wellbeing within planetary limits. Yet there is a lack of knowledge about possible social and political carriers of corresponding social-ecological transformations. For the promotion of the changes of societal core institutions that climate scientists deem necessary in the nearer future knowledge of which parts of the population are most likely to support these and which would resist such a political turn is crucial. This paper uses a Bourdieusian methodology to explore the field of the general public’s perceptions of social-ecological transformations in relation to their future orientations. We assume that an eco-social policy agenda capable of initiating transformational social and ecological change is most likely to receive critical societal support if it is close to people’s experiences and, especially, expectations and hopes in relation to the future. Applying Bourdieu’s relational approach, we investigate with survey data from Sweden how expectations of the future are linked to attitudes towards a transformational sustainable welfare agenda as well as to corresponding political actions and socio-economic factors.
Journal Publication: Martin Fritz (2025). Welche Bioökonomie wollen wir? Sozial-ökologische Mentalitäten und Vorstellungen von Bioökonomie in der deutschen Bevölkerung. Ökologisches Wirtschaften – Fachzeitschrift, 40(1), 34–39. https://doi.org/10.14512/OEW400134
Jana Holz, Philip Koch, Martin Fritz and former head of flumen Dennis Eversberg gave a presentation entitled “Tightened lines of conflict in the socio-ecological transformation? Mentalities and social structure in (de-)civilizing processes
6 am MST (BNOrth America) / 2 pm CET (Germany) / 3 pm EET (Finland)
Titel: „‘This is Nature Protecting itself’ – Forest Occupations Against Sand & Gravel Extraction in Germany”
Input by: Sebastian Garbe (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Applied Sciences Fulda)
Presentation and discussion will be held online and in English.
About:
In recent years, forest occupations have become one of the most prominent and visible protest strategies within Germany’s climate justice movement. While some occupations have sought to protect forests from the expansion of open-cast lignite mining and the construction of motorways, a more recent occupation south of Frankfurt is resisting the expansion of a sand and gravel pit operated by a local company.
Departing from that occupation and building on ongoing ethnographic field research in the region, this talk takes up a variety of threads from this case study as an example of contemporary socio-ecological conflicts that revolve around protecting forests from sand and gravel exploitation. One thread points towards forest occupations as a protest strategy grounded in a distinct relational ontology of human-forest relationships. By focusing on sand and gravel as natural resources lying beneath forests, another trace explores the importance of introducing the conceptual framework of extractivism and the commodification of nature to contexts in the Global North. Finally, this case study also helps to showcase some of the effects of open-cast sand and gravel mining on local forests, the local population and the local climate justice movement.
Instead of presenting final research results, this talk invites the audience into ongoing ethnographic field research in the forests south of Frankfurt, following various threads laid by this case study.
Let’s sit, have a coffee and talk in the scientific café! The “Coffee Talks HFR” give room for open and relaxed discussions on current research subjects related to human and society relations to forests. It warmly welcomes all interested in forest-related research to join the online sessions.
Each session lasts 1,5 hours. It starts with a 20-30 minute presentation of a guest speaker. After the presentation, with coffee or tea at hand, participants have plenty of room for an open discussion and exchange.
The “Coffee Talks HFR” take place three to four times per term on Wednesdays at 6 am MST / 2pm CET / 3pm EET.
Guest speakers wanted!
If you are interested in contributing to the “Coffee Talks HFR”, please contact either jana.holz(at)uni-jena.de, jodie.asselin(at)uleth.ca or tuulikki.halla(at)uef.fi with info on your subject (title and short abstract) and a preferred date.
The interdisciplinary and international scientific “Coffee Talks HFR” have a long tradition. In 2021, a cooperation between the Finnish research project Human-Forest Relationships in Societal Change and the German research group Mentalities im Flux (flumen) launched and hosted the “Scientific Coffee Sessions HFR”. Since then, they hosted more than twelve sessions with speakers form interdisciplinary social science background and international participants. In 2024, the network broadened and the event got a new name: “Coffee Talks HFR”.
The “Coffee Talks HFR” are hosted by:
Human-Forest Relationship Research Club of the Finnish Society of Forest Science
The research group “Mentalities in Flux” (flumen) Research Project
Forest Anthropology Working Group on Europe and Beyond (FORAGE) FORAGE – WUR
