‘sustainable development requires fundamental structural adaptations to the sociotechnical systems that service and co-constitute human needs. The innovation of more

sustainable artefacts and practices cannot be effective without changes to the broader contexts in which they are produced and used..’

From the call for papers for this meeting…

Caution…

Sociotechnical systems and transitions

Socio

technical as in recognising the social organisation of innovation and development, e.g. Hughes, Bijker, Geels

technical as in the configuration of users and consumers, scripting, e.g. Woolgar, Akrich, Jelsma, etc.

technical as in recognising material relations and non-human actors, hybrids, congealed social relations, e.g. Latour, Michael

technical as in the materials of practice and the reproduction of normal and ordinary conventions and patterns of demand, Otnes, Reckwitz, Shove and Pantzar

Sociotechnical transitions

in how services are delivered

in what these services are

(focus on provision and supply)

(focus on consumption and demand)

Governing

‘sustainable development requires fundamental structural adaptations to the sociotechnical systems that service and co-constitute human needs.

Go No Go

Habits

Conventions

Infrastructures

Resources

Industrial sectors

But there are limits to where governments dare to …

Who governs transitions in practice?

Comfort

Social networks

Mobility

Cleanliness, etc.

If these are crucial for sustainability

the question is then…

The environmental burden of everyday life

Thinking about the governance of

transitions in practice rather than of citizens, individuals, social groups, or even sociotechnical configurations

practices depend upon the interconnection of elements including materials objects, competences, images and forms of mental activity.

(Reckwitz 2002: 250).

Elements of practice

Relations between elements of practice

Relations between practices

1

2

3

means thinking about

new ingredients, new linkages, new practices

stuffmaterials

Competence procedure

properprocedure

imagessymbols

18-19th C. EuropeExplaining daily showering bathing as a social activity porous skin, fear of plague, need a week to recover.

controlled bathing as medicinal intervention - shock to organs, strength, (cold) water and moral toughening, not for women.

social status, thrill, mineral waters, hydro-therapy sleep, circulation.

sanitary science; cleanliness and godliness, civilisation, discipline, germ theory.

USA, 48 litres of water per capita per day for personal hygiene (91% showering) UK, 27 litres of water pc pd for personal hygiene (36% showering) – freshness.

Bathroominfrastructure

Lots of stuff

Getting home

Going out

Explaining transitions in showering

StuffPublic provision, collective infrastructure

ImageRegeneration of whole body and of civic order

ProcedureCollective event, shared social calendar

StuffInstant hot water, private bathroom(s)

Imageself image, invigorationfreshness, and fitness

ProcedureFragmented moments, speed and convenience

StuffState investment in public health

ImageMoral-medical discipline,disease and disorder

ProcedureRegular private habits, weekly schedules.

Governing bathing

National identity

Cleanliness and godliness

Dirt and social disorder

Sanitary science

Moral duty

innovation in practice

Industry element

Practitioner

Media, friends, family

Industry system

Governments, sometimes

Plumber, fitter

Regulation, existing infrastructure

Pay £5 (now £8) to enter between 7.00 am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday, plus, improvements to public transport

Deliberate intervention

Economic

Environmental

Health and well being

But who makes the system?

Images from London: 17th February 2003

67% of inner London respondents made some change to travel pattern

36% of charging zone respondents made some change to travel pattern

What was going to happen?

Dynamic hot and cold spots

Congestion charging

Governing relations between projects and practiceshas congestion charging reconfigured travel ‘projects’ and relations between practices? Sometimes, it depends upon what people were doing before. One system has differential ‘impacts’

London as a dynamic ‘living’ systemPatterns of mobility change not only because of the scheme, but because of how other people respond to the scheme. London is still changing shape..for example, visiting friends and family…

Relations between practices are re-arranged as a result of deliberate intervention - but the outcomes are ongoing and unpredictable.

Congestion charging can be exported to other cities, but is likely to have different consequences (in and for practice) in different situations.

Thinking again about transitions in practice

generates challenges and questions for concepts of governance

Us and them (participation debate etc.)

Exporting repeatable strategies

1

2

3

A distinction that is eroded when dealing with the reproduction and transformation of practice

Interventions in effect and in practice are ‘made’ by the full cast of actors, consumers and producers. Unexportable.

Understanding how different practices emerge, persist and disappear, and how systems of practices fragment and form. How are problematic configurations kept ‘alive’? Who are their ‘carriers’?

From the sociotechnical of supply to the sociotechnical of demand (and back again)