Governing Regional Sustainability Transitions:
Geographical Perspectives
as part of the
Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting
21-25 April, 2015, Chicago, Illinois
In order to achieve sustainable development, large socio-technical systems need to change involving
fundamental transformation processes in technologies, industries and lifestyles. Although a substantial
body of literature has emerged in the promising fields of Sustainability Transitions and Transition
Management (e.g. Geels 2005; Meadowcroft 2009; Grin, Rotmans and Schot 2010; Frantzeskaki,
Loorbach and Meadowcroft 2012), the spatial aspects of this transition have only slowly been dealt with
by research (e.g. Bulkeley et al. 2010, Späth and Rohracher 2010; Hodson and Marvin 2012; Truffer
and Coenen 2012; Bridge et al. 2013). Given the scale advantage of a region-based analysis –
providing necessary detail, yet also a broader strategic perspective – the Regional Studies Association
Research Network seeks to explore questions and challenges around the governance of the postulated
Transition from a regional perspective.
The focus of this third workshop is on geographical perspectives of the regional sustainability transition.
For a decade a literature referred to as “transition studies” has produced a steady stream of interesting,
if not controversial claims, about how society might transition our economies, technologies, and modes
of governance to bring about more sustainable futures. More recently, two of the progenitors of this line
of scholarship have recognized the value geographical perspectives bring to transition studies and
made several efforts to cultivate a “geography of sustainability transitions” (Truffer and Coenen 2012,
pg. 3). This call has been made from other quarters, too. Lawhon and Murphy (2011) recruit a political
ecological perspective into transition studies. Similarly, Aoyama (2011) points to the importance of
environmental economic geography to be a key source in issues of environmental and sustainable
change. Indeed, the scientific committee of the Regional Studies Association funded the Governing the
Sustainability Transitions Research Network which has been exploring these issues in terms of regional
governance, the built environment, technological transitions, and the like.
The Chicago AAG is an appropriate place to bring further discussion and debate around the framing
and analysis of ‘sustainability transitions’ from geographical perspectives. Toward this end, we invite
conceptual papers and empirical case studies that explore different geographical concepts in the
context of sustainability transitions.
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Papers could address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
· A conceptual examination of the ‘transitions’ literature and approaches;
· Geographically grounded transition networks;
· Institutional analyses of transitions;
· Societal transitions and the political dimension;
· Impacts of transitions on regions;
· Transition strategies and general regional challenges;
· Transition towns as a process of urbanization;
· Local resistance to transitions;
· Role of knowledge, values and power;
· Epistemological tensions in transition research.
Additional topics will also be considered. This workshop will exist within the larger AAG meetings. We
anticipate two paper sessions of 4-5 papers each and a panel session to explore more deeply issues
raised in the sessions. The only fee is for the AAG meeting. Thanks to the support of the Regional
Studies Association, we are able to offer one travel bursary of £300 to assist an eligible attendee,
with his/her travel and accommodation costs.
We hope that this topic has broad appeal to many and look forward to proposals of
interesting papers to serve as the basis of lively and enjoyable discussions at the
workshop. For this, please note the following timeline.
Timeline
20st October Researchers and practitioners who would like to present their relevant research and
experiences at the conference should send an extended abstract of around 250
words to the email address shown below no later than the 20th of October 2014.
25th October Contributors notified whether their paper has been accepted. Contributors need to
submit their abstract and register with the AAG meeting as quickly as possible.
Send the AAG issued PIN to the session organisers (address shown below)
immediately.
November 4 Deadline to submit the abstract and register for the conference as well as to send
the AAG issued PIN. If you miss this last deadline, you risk being omitted from the
Program.
For more information about this call and/or the network please contact:
Robert Krueger, Social Science and Policy Studies, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; email:
[log in to unmask]
Gerd Lintz, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, Dresden,
Germany; network management; email: [log in to unmask]
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