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Realising potentials for arts-based sustainability science

Heras, María ; Galafassi, Diego LU ; Oteros-Rozas, Elisa ; Ravera, Federica ; Berraquero-Díaz, Luis and Ruiz-Mallén, Isabel (2021) In Sustainability Science 16(6). p.1875-1889
Abstract

In recent years, a profusion of methods, practices, and experiences has emerged in the interface between arts and sustainability science. Drawing from two strong currents within sustainability science, namely, the emphasis on transdisciplinary approaches and the need to move towards societal transformations, such hybrid approaches seemingly contribute with unique methods to sustainability research. Despite repeated claims from sustainability scientists about art’s role in sustainability transformations, joint analyses with artists and practitioners are still rare. We conveyed a collaborative and exploratory workshop with scientists, artists, and practitioners from the fields of education, public engagement, and activism to identify the... (More)

In recent years, a profusion of methods, practices, and experiences has emerged in the interface between arts and sustainability science. Drawing from two strong currents within sustainability science, namely, the emphasis on transdisciplinary approaches and the need to move towards societal transformations, such hybrid approaches seemingly contribute with unique methods to sustainability research. Despite repeated claims from sustainability scientists about art’s role in sustainability transformations, joint analyses with artists and practitioners are still rare. We conveyed a collaborative and exploratory workshop with scientists, artists, and practitioners from the fields of education, public engagement, and activism to identify the potentials for arts-based sustainability research. Participants were invited to facilitate and trial various artistic practices from disciplines of performative, literary, narrative, audio-visual and plastic arts. In this paper, we present five key areas identified in the workshop, where arts-based methods can significantly contribute to sustainability research: embracing more-than-cognitive aspects of knowledge, improving communication, grappling with power dynamics, shifting relationships to nature, and facilitating futures visioning. Workshop participants also identified challenges related to power dynamics, tensions across paradigms, and implementation conditions, providing insights into how to leverage arts’ potential to respond to global environmental challenges while boosting societal transformations. We then discuss research questions identified that address challenges and limitations for arts-based research in sustainability. Overall, these results suggest there are yet untapped resources and experiences within the field of arts-based sustainability science. (Audio-visual abstract available on S1).

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Art/science, Co-creation, Emotions, Knowledge systems, Methodology, Transformations
in
Sustainability Science
volume
16
issue
6
pages
1875 - 1889
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85112640288
ISSN
1862-4065
DOI
10.1007/s11625-021-01002-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cb56d6b7-5498-47aa-818e-a4107f1e1e6e
date added to LUP
2021-09-23 16:49:13
date last changed
2022-04-27 04:10:17
@article{cb56d6b7-5498-47aa-818e-a4107f1e1e6e,
  abstract     = {{<p>In recent years, a profusion of methods, practices, and experiences has emerged in the interface between arts and sustainability science. Drawing from two strong currents within sustainability science, namely, the emphasis on transdisciplinary approaches and the need to move towards societal transformations, such hybrid approaches seemingly contribute with unique methods to sustainability research. Despite repeated claims from sustainability scientists about art’s role in sustainability transformations, joint analyses with artists and practitioners are still rare. We conveyed a collaborative and exploratory workshop with scientists, artists, and practitioners from the fields of education, public engagement, and activism to identify the potentials for arts-based sustainability research. Participants were invited to facilitate and trial various artistic practices from disciplines of performative, literary, narrative, audio-visual and plastic arts. In this paper, we present five key areas identified in the workshop, where arts-based methods can significantly contribute to sustainability research: embracing more-than-cognitive aspects of knowledge, improving communication, grappling with power dynamics, shifting relationships to nature, and facilitating futures visioning. Workshop participants also identified challenges related to power dynamics, tensions across paradigms, and implementation conditions, providing insights into how to leverage arts’ potential to respond to global environmental challenges while boosting societal transformations. We then discuss research questions identified that address challenges and limitations for arts-based research in sustainability. Overall, these results suggest there are yet untapped resources and experiences within the field of arts-based sustainability science. (Audio-visual abstract available on S1).</p>}},
  author       = {{Heras, María and Galafassi, Diego and Oteros-Rozas, Elisa and Ravera, Federica and Berraquero-Díaz, Luis and Ruiz-Mallén, Isabel}},
  issn         = {{1862-4065}},
  keywords     = {{Art/science; Co-creation; Emotions; Knowledge systems; Methodology; Transformations}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1875--1889}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Realising potentials for arts-based sustainability science}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-01002-0}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s11625-021-01002-0}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}