Justice is an unavoidable yet often implicit concern in transitions, and this essay explores how integrating justice more explicitly can strengthen both theory and practice in transition studies. Questions around who benefits, who bears the costs, and whose voices are heard in societal transformations are inherently political and ethical but often remain under-addressed in transition research and governance. The authors argue that transition professionals are inevitably entangled in these issues and suggest that the concept of justice can help make such dilemmas visible and actionable.
Transitions inevitably produce winners and losers, and greater attention is needed for the power dynamics and political struggles that shape who benefits and who bears the costs. The process of destabilizing existing regimes and introducing alternatives highlights underlying inequalities, yet transition studies have historically focused more on ‘frontrunners’ and ‘promising niches’ than on those disadvantaged by change. The authors call for transition studies to engage more deeply with these struggles and the political nature of transitions.
Justice is a timeless, contested, and multidimensional concept encompassing distribution, recognition, participation, and capabilities, all of which are crucial for understanding transitions. The essay outlines various philosophical and moral perspectives on justice — from utilitarian to egalitarian and capabilities approaches — and argues for a broader conceptualization beyond distributive justice alone. Justice should be seen as context-dependent, relational, and contested, emerging through practice and shaped by intersecting social structures such as class, race, and gender.
Justice concerns have long been part of environmental and social movements and, while increasingly visible in transition studies, require deeper conceptualization and practical application. The essay traces how justice debates evolved from grassroots activism into academic discourse, particularly through environmental justice and the concept of a ‘just transition’. While these ideas have broadened over time, transition studies still tend to under-theorize justice, and there is room to integrate justice as a central theme mediating between social, economic, and ecological concerns.
Explicitly integrating justice into transition studies politicizes sustainability work, offering new questions, amplifying marginalized voices, and fostering more democratic and legitimate transitions. The authors argue that addressing justice challenges dominant assumptions, exposes unequal outcomes, and enables counter-hegemonic narratives to emerge. Especially in times of destabilization and systemic change, focusing on justice can reveal power relations and open up discussions on who gets to shape the future, democratizing transition processes.
Rather than treating justice as a collateral concern, transition scholars and practitioners should position it as both an analytical entry point and integral focus in governance and practice. The essay proposes that justice can help make visible the dilemmas and trade-offs within transitions, inform discussions at different phases of change, and enrich transition management tools and methods. Integrating justice explicitly may increase complexity but also enhances the legitimacy and transformative potential of transition processes.
