(Dit artikel en deze publicatie zijn alleen beschikbaar in het Engels)
Knowledge and Action for Just Sustainability Transitions
The article “Transformative Research: Knowledge and Action for Just Sustainability Transitions” critiques traditional academic structures for maintaining the status quo rather than enabling societal change. It argues that transformative research—which actively engages with stakeholders and focuses on systemic change—is necessary to address persistent global challenges like climate change, inequality, and biodiversity loss.
Academia prioritizes disciplinary, linear knowledge production that often fails to translate into actionable solutions for sustainability transitions. Transformative research integrates transdisciplinary, action-oriented approaches, working with societal actors to co-create knowledge that directly contributes to just and sustainable futures. This research is systems-oriented, collaborative, iterative, and reflexive, meaning it critically examines societal structures while developing practical alternatives.
Researchers face institutional barriers, career risks, and power dynamics that hinder their ability to conduct action-driven research within traditional academic frameworks. The article calls for universities to restructure incentives, support transdisciplinary collaboration, and institutionalize transformative research to maximize academia’s role in driving sustainability transitions.
