Modern outposts of unsustainability
Short description
This research project explores the dynamics of change and inertia by looking at the role of personal and cultural narratives upon scenarios of unsustainability. Assuming that great social challenges no longer come one by one, this research seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the interlocking problems of unsustainability caused by cultural contingents.
This is done by looking at how particular discourses, cultural codes and social contracts create clusters of unsustainability, and what socio-material effects they may incur upon institution building, technical input and self-governance. It also aims to outline a number of priorities for action to deflect the alarming status quo. The project makes use of the concept of the ‘modern outpost of unsustainability’, i.e. any locality exhibiting a complex web of social entanglements that cause and maintain several dilemmas at once. Case studies involve Skopje (North Macedonia), Toruń (Poland) and Gothenburg (Sweden).