Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom?
This article aims to uncover diverse perspectives regarding what sustainable consumption is and should be in the future. We draw upon and combine critical futures studies with recognitional justice. Futures studies enables inclusive approaches and divergence from current narratives of the future tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15487733.2024.2341495 |
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| author | Åsa Svenfelt Noha Baraka Wadha Vishal Parekh |
| author_facet | Åsa Svenfelt Noha Baraka Wadha Vishal Parekh |
| author_sort | Åsa Svenfelt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article aims to uncover diverse perspectives regarding what sustainable consumption is and should be in the future. We draw upon and combine critical futures studies with recognitional justice. Futures studies enables inclusive approaches and divergence from current narratives of the future that are perceived as dominant. Recognitional justice allows for reflection upon who is usually not in the room when consumption futures are discussed. The article analyzes sustainable consumption-futures workshops held with four groups in Sweden. The first was with partners in a research program focusing on sustainable consumption. The second workshop enlisted elderly rural retirees, the third newly-arrived women from Syria and Eritrea, and the fourth high-income earners. A variety of traits in the discussions were noticeably influenced by the local context and backgrounds of the participants. Several issues brought up in the discussions dealt with issues that are on the political agenda in Sweden, such as circulating materials and more information and knowledge. There were also matters not on the political agenda such as eating a vegetarian diet, reducing consumption, and spending less time working. In addition, the newly-arrived women and, to some extent, the retirees, framed peace and ending the use of weapons as a vital element in sustainable consumption. This diversity and divergence highlights that, if it is to become relevant and inclusive, both research and policy need to recognize a multitude of perspectives and incorporate the distribution of power and critical futures perspectives to navigate a pathway toward consumption that is just and sustainable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2397131592d645e8a9ea41e0e801ee31 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1548-7733 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy |
| spelling | doaj-art-2397131592d645e8a9ea41e0e801ee312025-08-20T02:30:41ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy1548-77332024-12-0120110.1080/15487733.2024.2341495Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom?Åsa Svenfelt0Noha Baraka Wadha1Vishal Parekh2Centre for Local Government Studies (CKS), Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDivision of Strategic Sustainability Studies, KTH–The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SwedenDivision of Strategic Sustainability Studies, KTH–The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SwedenThis article aims to uncover diverse perspectives regarding what sustainable consumption is and should be in the future. We draw upon and combine critical futures studies with recognitional justice. Futures studies enables inclusive approaches and divergence from current narratives of the future that are perceived as dominant. Recognitional justice allows for reflection upon who is usually not in the room when consumption futures are discussed. The article analyzes sustainable consumption-futures workshops held with four groups in Sweden. The first was with partners in a research program focusing on sustainable consumption. The second workshop enlisted elderly rural retirees, the third newly-arrived women from Syria and Eritrea, and the fourth high-income earners. A variety of traits in the discussions were noticeably influenced by the local context and backgrounds of the participants. Several issues brought up in the discussions dealt with issues that are on the political agenda in Sweden, such as circulating materials and more information and knowledge. There were also matters not on the political agenda such as eating a vegetarian diet, reducing consumption, and spending less time working. In addition, the newly-arrived women and, to some extent, the retirees, framed peace and ending the use of weapons as a vital element in sustainable consumption. This diversity and divergence highlights that, if it is to become relevant and inclusive, both research and policy need to recognize a multitude of perspectives and incorporate the distribution of power and critical futures perspectives to navigate a pathway toward consumption that is just and sustainable.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15487733.2024.2341495Consumptionvisioningfuture narrativessustainablerecognitional justicepower |
| spellingShingle | Åsa Svenfelt Noha Baraka Wadha Vishal Parekh Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom? Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy Consumption visioning future narratives sustainable recognitional justice power |
| title | Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom? |
| title_full | Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom? |
| title_fullStr | Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom? |
| title_short | Sustainable consumption futures: according to whom? |
| title_sort | sustainable consumption futures according to whom |
| topic | Consumption visioning future narratives sustainable recognitional justice power |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15487733.2024.2341495 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT asasvenfelt sustainableconsumptionfuturesaccordingtowhom AT nohabarakawadha sustainableconsumptionfuturesaccordingtowhom AT vishalparekh sustainableconsumptionfuturesaccordingtowhom |