Within the seminar series Seminarreihe LUCSUS at the Lund University (Sweden), Martin Fritz (flumen, University of Jena) and Max Koch (School of Social Work, University Lund) present their paper “Habitus and climate change: Exploring support and resistance to sustainable welfare and social–ecological transformations in Sweden.”

When? 30 September 2021 | 11:00 – 12:00 a.m.

How? Seminar language is Englisch and will take place online. Please, register here. You will then receive a confirmation email with a zoomlink to the seminar. More information here.

Abstract of the paper: We explore peoples’ dispositions and practices with regard to social–ecological transformations based on a sustainable welfare policy strategy in Sweden. We draw on Bourdieu’s concept of habitus to highlight the relations between social positions, dispositions, and position-takings. Using data from an own survey, we identify habitus types and place these in the space of social positions. We apply principal component analysis to a large set of questions about social, ecological, and climate change related topics and identify eight underlying eco–social dispositions. These are used for cluster analyses that find typical constellations of eco–social dispositions within the Swedish population: variants of eco–social habitus. We find seven habitus types and describe their social characteristics, political preferences, and practices. Finally, the seven habitus are plotted onto the map of social positions, the Bourdieusian social space, highlighting their relations—proximities, tensions, and contestations—to each other. We find evidence that political struggles around social–ecological transformations reproduce existing social structures but are also connected to new “eco–social” divisions that appear between groups in similar positions. In the conclusion we discuss the implications for social–ecological transformations based on sustainable welfare. You can read the paper here

“Habitus and climate change: Exploring support and resistance to sustainable welfare and social–ecological transformations in Sweden”. A paper by Martin Fritz, Max Koch, Håkan Johansson, Kajsa Emilsson, Roger Hildingsson, Jamil Khan.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12887

Abstract: We explore peoples’ dispositions and practices with regard to social–ecological transformations based on a sustainable welfare policy strategy in Sweden. We draw on Bourdieu’s concept of habitus to highlight the relations between social positions, dispositions, and position-takings. Using data from an own survey, we identify habitus types and place these in the space of social positions. We apply principal component analysis to a large set of questions about social, ecological, and climate change related topics and identify eight underlying eco–social dispositions. These are used for cluster analyses that find typical constellations of eco–social dispositions within the Swedish population: variants of eco–social habitus. We find seven habitus types and describe their social characteristics, political preferences, and practices. Finally, the seven habitus are plotted onto the map of social positions, the Bourdieusian social space, highlighting their relations—proximities, tensions, and contestations—to each other. We find evidence that political struggles around social–ecological transformations reproduce existing social structures but are also connected to new “eco–social” divisions that appear between groups in similar positions. In the conclusion we discuss the implications for social–ecological transformations based on sustainable welfare.

More information on Special Issue on Promises of growth and sustainability in the bioeconomy of the Journal for Sustainable Consumption and Production

In current debates about the future of modern societies, one concept is increasingly marshalled as providing an answer to multiple challenges: the bioeconomy. The dominant narrative makes the claim that shifting to a bioeconomy based on the flow of renewable energies and biological resources societies can achieve both: ‘green’ economic growth and a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels and resources, thus building a sustainable future. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to shed light on the nexus of sustainability, technology and growth within the bioeconomy from multidisciplinary, critical and constructive perspectives. We invite empirical and/or conceptual contributions addressing but not limited to the following questions: 

• Can growth-based economies really be made sustainable by just basing them on biogenic instead of fossil materials and resources? 
• Do the bioeconomy and the innovations of modern biotechnology enable a decoupling of environmental throughput from GDP? 
• Would the transformation of modern societies towards post-fossil, bio-based economic activities need to involve an overcoming of unlimited economic growth? 
• What would political processes and bioeconomy implementation strategies have to look like in order to transform the economy in a democratic and participatory way?

The above mentioned Special Issue is a cooperation between Forschungszentrum Juelich as a topical editor (Sandra Venghaus) and the Junior Research Group flumen as guest editors (Dr. Dennis Eversberg, Dr. Martin Fritz, Lilian Pungas).

We would like to invite you to submit papers (various formats possible such as research and review articles, short communications). 

The deadline is June 30, 2021. 

Papers will be peer-reviewed and the aim is to have final papers accepted and sent to production by 30th November 2021, which should mean the special issue can be finalised by the end of the year/early 2022. All information you need as an author with this journal you can find here. 

Do not hesitate to write to us if you have any further questions. Also, we would be very grateful if you shared the call with any colleagues that might be interested.

Dr. Dennis Eversberg      dennis.eversberg@uni-jena.de

Dr. Martin Fritz                martin.fritz@uni-jena.de

Lilian Pungas                  lilian.pungas@uni-jena.de

„Empty Promises and self-fulfilling prophecies. Bioeconomy (and circular economy) from a critique of growth perspective” – that was the title of Jana Holz’ keynote, that she held in the online workshop “potentials of the concept of a circular economy“ on 24 March 2021.

The workshop was part of the discussion series “degrowth – vision of the future or an illusion?” organized by the AK Wien and Degrowth Vienna.

Jana Holz takes part in the 3rd International Forest Policy Meeting (IFPM3) (https://ifpm3.info/) on March 17 and 18, 2021. The event is organized by the Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiburg together with IUFRO Division 09.05.

In the panel “Global Forest Bioeconomy: Continuity or a Pathway to Transformations?” Jana gives a lecture on “Forest-based Bioeconomy in Finland: Extractivist Loopholes?“. She also contributes to the 3MT Competition (Three Minute Thesis Competition), where she will present the topic of her doctorate to a wide audience within three minutes. Here is more information about the 3MT competition idea.

He will present his paper „The Critique of Growth in Historical Context“. The workshop will run from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Please register here https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QQRtKHx2SFaYIU-0ovMGJw

Program:

‘The Limits to Certainty and the Metaphysics of Infinitude’ Nandita Badami (UC Irvine)
Discussants: Venus Bivar (York) and Kristoffer Ekberg (Chalmers)

‘Writing the History of Ecological Economic Thought’ Antoine Missemer (CIRED Paris) and Marco Paulo Vianna Franco (KLI)
Discussants: Julia Nordblad (Uppsala) and Matthias Schmelzer (Jena)

‘Critiques of Growth in Historical Context’ Matthias Schmelzer (Jena)
Discussants: Roman Gilmintinov (Duke) and Glenda Sluga (EUI)

„The Ecology of Economic Thought“ is a five-part online workshop of the Canada Program at Weatherhead Center of the Harvard University. See more https://programs.wcfia.harvard.edu/canada_program/Ecology.