Sociology of Sustainability

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Anna Henkel
• Subject Area: Sociological Theory
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 325121482

The debate on sustainability has been a politically induced, public discourse in which sociological perspectives have been playing only a marginal role. This may be because sociology is generally cautious of engaging in discussions of normative connotations. Responses to issues related to sustainability from relevant subfields of sociology such as participation and acceptance research, environmental sociology and science and technology studies are largely confined to the margins of the sustainability discourse. The aim of the network is to make sustainability a specifically sociological issue and to give sociology a voice in this debate.Recently, there has been an increasing call for such a decidedly sociological perspective. Measures and strategies that have been recognized as useful in achieving sustainability always raise the question of how they can be implemented on the various different levels of action involved, especially if they entail calls for fundamental transformations such as energy transition. By addressing social aspects in their specific societal contexts, sociology can make meaningful contributions in this area. It can also approach the political and the implicitly and explicitly normative character of the debate on sustainability from a scientific perspective, which is necessary given the possible limitations and impediments to an action-oriented policy towards sustainability. Therefore, there is no need for sociology to suspend its scepticism about the normative implications of sustainability; on the contrary, it can be made productive. In fact, by addressing sustainability from the perspective of social theory and locating the issue in the field of the theory of society, sociology is particularly suitable for providing a solid theoretical basis for a practice-oriented debate on sustainability.The multi-paradigmatic character of sociology is both a strength that should be developed and utilized and a challenge that should be met. The strength of the multi-paradigmatic character of sociology is that different analyses focus on different aspects depending on the perspective taken, and given that addressing questions of sustainability typically involves multiple heterogeneous approaches, being able to change perspectives is a major benefit. The challenge is to make sociology an original and independent voice in the discourse on sustainability in the first place. The network will bring together proponents of differing sociological perspectives on sustainability to utilize the strength of the heterogeneity of positions and develop a common integrative perspective. The network will draw on recent debates on specific relevant issues (energy, climate change, mobility, soil) and on an analysis of differences and similarities to outline a sociological sustainability strategy, which will then be introduced to the scientific debate and, if at all possible, the political debate as well.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks