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The role of umbrella organisations in facilitating sustainability transition - the diffusion of energy cooperatives and community-supported agriculture in Europe

Feddersen, Kaya LU (2023) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20231
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Umbrella organizations of grassroot innovations can play important roles in facilitating sustainability transitions. This thesis examines such roles by studying national and regional umbrella organizations of energy cooperatives and community-supported agriculture in Europe. Embedded in the Multi-Level Perspective, it applies frameworks on Intermediary Roles, Intermediary Levels and Collective Diffusion Pathways. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with key umbrella organizations, my results show that umbrella organizations fulfil multiple roles to support their affiliates. Whereas energy umbrella organizations engaged more in replicating and scaling practices of the affiliates, agriculture umbrella organizations assimilated their... (More)
Umbrella organizations of grassroot innovations can play important roles in facilitating sustainability transitions. This thesis examines such roles by studying national and regional umbrella organizations of energy cooperatives and community-supported agriculture in Europe. Embedded in the Multi-Level Perspective, it applies frameworks on Intermediary Roles, Intermediary Levels and Collective Diffusion Pathways. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with key umbrella organizations, my results show that umbrella organizations fulfil multiple roles to support their affiliates. Whereas energy umbrella organizations engaged more in replicating and scaling practices of the affiliates, agriculture umbrella organizations assimilated their niche status by focusing on the stabilization. The thesis discusses three main findings that (1) intermediary roles are diverse and dynamic, (2) umbrella organizations foster collective diffusion, but they have diverging interpretations of the role of professionalization, and (3) umbrella organizations can accelerate their diffusion potential by engaging more with regime actors to facilitate sustainability transition. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Feddersen, Kaya LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
sustainability science, sustainability transition, collective diffusion, umbrella organizations, intermediary roles
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2023:037
language
English
id
9123251
date added to LUP
2023-06-12 08:19:44
date last changed
2023-06-12 08:19:44
@misc{9123251,
  abstract     = {{Umbrella organizations of grassroot innovations can play important roles in facilitating sustainability transitions. This thesis examines such roles by studying national and regional umbrella organizations of energy cooperatives and community-supported agriculture in Europe. Embedded in the Multi-Level Perspective, it applies frameworks on Intermediary Roles, Intermediary Levels and Collective Diffusion Pathways. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with key umbrella organizations, my results show that umbrella organizations fulfil multiple roles to support their affiliates. Whereas energy umbrella organizations engaged more in replicating and scaling practices of the affiliates, agriculture umbrella organizations assimilated their niche status by focusing on the stabilization. The thesis discusses three main findings that (1) intermediary roles are diverse and dynamic, (2) umbrella organizations foster collective diffusion, but they have diverging interpretations of the role of professionalization, and (3) umbrella organizations can accelerate their diffusion potential by engaging more with regime actors to facilitate sustainability transition.}},
  author       = {{Feddersen, Kaya}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{The role of umbrella organisations in facilitating sustainability transition - the diffusion of energy cooperatives and community-supported agriculture in Europe}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}