University of Sussex
Browse
2017_04_13_FINAL_Manuscript_ROCS_CLEAN.pdf (615.01 kB)

Elucidating the changing roles of civil society in urban sustainability transitions

Download (615.01 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 06:30 authored by Niki Frantzeskaki, Adina Dumitru, Isabelle Anguelovski, Flor Avelino, Matthew Bach, Benjamin Best, Constanze Binder, Jake Barnes, Giuseppe Carrus, Rachael DurrantRachael Durrant, et al
Understanding the diversifying role of civil society in Europe’s sustainability pathway is a valid proposition both scientifically and socially. Civil society organisations already play a significant role in the reality of cities, what remains to be explored is the question: what is the role of civil society in the future sustainability of European cities? We first examine the novelty of new forms of civil society organization based on a thorough review of recent case studies of civil society initiatives for sustainable transitions across a diversity of European projects and an extensive literature review. We conceptualize a series of roles that civil society plays and the tensions they entail. We argue that, civil society initiatives can pioneer new social relations and practices therefore be an integral part of urban transformations and can fill the void left by a retreating welfare state, thereby safeguarding and servicing social needs but also backing up such a rolling back of the welfare state. It can act as a hidden innovator—contributing to sustainability but remaining disconnected from the wider society. Assuming each of these roles can have unintended effects, such as being proliferated by political agendas, which endanger its role and social mission, and can be peeled off to serve political agendas resulting in its disempowerment and over-exposure. We conclude with a series of implications for future research on the roles of civil society in urban sustainability transitions.

Funding

ARTS - Accelerating and Rescaling Transitions to Sustainability (DRIFT lead); G1281; EUROPEAN UNION; 603654 - ARTS

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

ISSN

1877-3435

Publisher

Elsevier

Volume

22

Page range

41-50

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2017-06-05

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2018-05-19

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2017-06-05

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC