• Login
    View Item 
    •   OpenDocs Home
    • Institute of Development Studies Research Repository
    • ESRC STEPS Centre
    • ESRC STEPS Centre
    • View Item
    •   OpenDocs Home
    • Institute of Development Studies Research Repository
    • ESRC STEPS Centre
    • ESRC STEPS Centre
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Transforming power: Social science and the politics of energy choices

    Thumbnail
    Download
    20 Transforming power- Social science and the politics of energy choices.pdf (837.9Kb)
    Date
    2014-03-02
    Author
    Stirling, Andrew
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Impact
    Abstract
    This paper addresses key implications in momentous current global energy choices – both for social science and for society. Energy can be over-used as a lens for viewing social processes. But it is nonetheless of profound importance. Understanding possible ‘sustainable energy’ transformations requires attention to many tricky issues in social theory: around agency and structure and the interplay of power, contingency and practice. These factors are as much shaping of the knowledges and normativities supposedly driving transformation, as they are shaped by them. So, ideas and hopes about possible pathways for change – as well as notions of ‘the transition’ itself – can be deeply constituted by incumbent interests. The paper addresses these dynamics by considering contending forms of transformation centring on renewable energy, nuclear power and climate geoengineering. Several challenges are identified for social science. These apply especially where there are aims to help enable more democratic exercise of social agency. They enjoin responsibilities to ‘open up’ (rather than ‘close down’), active political spaces for critical contention over alternative pathways. If due attention is to be given to marginalised interests, then a reflexive view must be taken of transformation. The paper ends with a series of concrete political lessons.
    URI
    https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/3811
    Citation
    Stirling A. Transforming power: Social science and the politics of energy choices. Energy Res Soc Sci (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2014.02.001
    More details
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2014.02.001
    Rights holder
    Andy Stirling
    Rights details
    http://www.ids.ac.uk/files/dmfile/IDSOpenDocsStandardTermsOfUse.pdf
    Sponsor
    ESRC
    Collections
    • ESRC STEPS Centre [225]

    About OpenDocs | OpenDocs Policy | Help | Contact Us | Send Feedback | Disclaimer and Cookies
     

     

    Browse

    All of OpenDocsCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    About OpenDocs | OpenDocs Policy | Help | Contact Us | Send Feedback | Disclaimer and Cookies