Towards a multi-scalar perspective on transition trajectories
(2021) In Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions 40. p.172-188- Abstract
This paper contributes to the geography of transitions literature by conceptualizing transition trajectories from a multi-scalar perspective. It combines an institutional perspective of transitions with conceptions of scale from human geography to derive a framework which explicates how (de-)institutionalization and re-scaling mechanisms condition different transition trajectories. Our conceptual elaborations show that the traditional local-global niche cumulation and upscaling trajectory can be complemented with two alternative trajectories that build on analytically different sequences of institutionalization and re-scaling processes. This is illustrated through a case study of technology standardization in the sanitation sector, more... (More)
This paper contributes to the geography of transitions literature by conceptualizing transition trajectories from a multi-scalar perspective. It combines an institutional perspective of transitions with conceptions of scale from human geography to derive a framework which explicates how (de-)institutionalization and re-scaling mechanisms condition different transition trajectories. Our conceptual elaborations show that the traditional local-global niche cumulation and upscaling trajectory can be complemented with two alternative trajectories that build on analytically different sequences of institutionalization and re-scaling processes. This is illustrated through a case study of technology standardization in the sanitation sector, more specifically the development of the ISO 30500 standard for non-sewered sanitation systems, which was initiated by a consortium led by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The observed transition trajectory departs from key assumptions of the local-global niche model, with actors engaging in direct institutionalization at the global level, followed by re-scaling global rationalities into different (sub-)national contexts.
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- author
- Miörner, Johan LU and Binz, Christian LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-09
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Geography of transitions, Non-sewered sanitation, Scale, Socio-technical system, Standardization
- in
- Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
- volume
- 40
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85110346183
- ISSN
- 2210-4224
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.eist.2021.06.004
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Swiss National Science Foundation [grant number 10001A_179219 / 1] for funding this project. We would furthermore like to thank Andri Brugger for very helpful inputs (basic conceptual ideas and draft of Fig. 1), as well as the participants at the IST conference 2020 for constructive suggestions. The paper furthermore profited from interactions with Lea Fuenfschilling, Huiwen Gong, Jonas Heiberg and Bernhard Truffer. The authors would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers as well as the handling editor of EIST for their highly valuable inputs. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Swiss National Science Foundation [grant number 10001A_179219 / 1 ] for funding this project. We would furthermore like to thank Andri Brugger for very helpful inputs (basic conceptual ideas and draft of Fig. 1 ), as well as the participants at the IST conference 2020 for constructive suggestions. The paper furthermore profited from interactions with Lea Fuenfschilling, Huiwen Gong, Jonas Heiberg and Bernhard Truffer. The authors would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers as well as the handling editor of EIST for their highly valuable inputs. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s) Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
- id
- 890ebd4c-a43c-4237-a15b-db81d98bb96b
- date added to LUP
- 2021-07-29 09:23:15
- date last changed
- 2024-01-20 09:37:00
@article{890ebd4c-a43c-4237-a15b-db81d98bb96b,
abstract = {{<p>This paper contributes to the geography of transitions literature by conceptualizing transition trajectories from a multi-scalar perspective. It combines an institutional perspective of transitions with conceptions of scale from human geography to derive a framework which explicates how (de-)institutionalization and re-scaling mechanisms condition different transition trajectories. Our conceptual elaborations show that the traditional local-global niche cumulation and upscaling trajectory can be complemented with two alternative trajectories that build on analytically different sequences of institutionalization and re-scaling processes. This is illustrated through a case study of technology standardization in the sanitation sector, more specifically the development of the ISO 30500 standard for non-sewered sanitation systems, which was initiated by a consortium led by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The observed transition trajectory departs from key assumptions of the local-global niche model, with actors engaging in direct institutionalization at the global level, followed by re-scaling global rationalities into different (sub-)national contexts.</p>}},
author = {{Miörner, Johan and Binz, Christian}},
issn = {{2210-4224}},
keywords = {{Geography of transitions; Non-sewered sanitation; Scale; Socio-technical system; Standardization}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{172--188}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions}},
title = {{Towards a multi-scalar perspective on transition trajectories}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2021.06.004}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.eist.2021.06.004}},
volume = {{40}},
year = {{2021}},
}