The Debate If Agents Matter vs. the System Matters in Sustainability Transitions—A Review of the Literature

Katariina Koistinen and Satu Teerikangas
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Katariina Koistinen: Management and Organization, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland
Satu Teerikangas: Management and Organization, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-32

Abstract: Transition studies is a growing discipline for addressing sustainability challenges. Traditionally, its focus has been at the system level. However, addressing sustainability challenges also requires attending to the role of agents in sustainability transitions. This is the focus adopted in this paper. We review the literature on agency in sustainability transitions, based on 77 journal articles on sustainability transitions listed in Scopus from 2014 to 2018. We find that agency is increasingly explored in the sustainability transitions literature. Despite this growing interest, this body of knowledge remains scattered in regard to typologies or theoretical framings. Our review leads us to identify three recurring themes. One theme drew our attention in particular: the transition research community is divided into those who argue that agency is sufficiently embedded in the transition literature and those who oppose this argument. Going forward, the dynamics of individual-level agency, including behaviors and motivation, deserve further attention.

Keywords: agency; agent; actor; individual; sustainability transition; sociotechnical transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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