www.steps-centre.org/ www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/ www.multicriteria-mapping.org www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/people/peoplelists/person/7513 Andy Stirling SPRU & STEPS Centre University of Sussex Chair’s plenary lecture for Royal Geographical Society / Institute for British Geographers conference on ‘Nexus Thinking’ Ondaatje Theatre, Imperial College, London Tuesday 30 th August 2016 Meeting ‘Nexus’ Challenges: from policy connections to political transformations
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Constituting problems & solutions both of Sustainabilty & the Nexusdepend on asserting alternative knowledges and visions
Sustainability (& Nexus) as Political not Technical
2015: Sustainability as Care: “leave no one behind”
SDGs offer political ratchets and pivots for collective action & democratic challenge
2015: Sustainability as Care: “leave no one behind”
In this key normative tradition where it emerged, ‘nexus thinking’ can help illuminate, enable and render accountable, a complexity and multiplicity of contexts, perspectives and possibilities
In this key normative tradition where it emerged, ‘nexus thinking’ can help illuminate, enable and render accountable, a complexity and multiplicity of contexts, perspectives and possibilities
ocean “eco cities”
carbon capture
reorganised services
offshore windnuclear power marine energy
bioenergy
grassroots renewables
centralised solar
eg: alternative infrastructures for ‘the’ zero carbon transition …
in branching social and technological innovation pathways
… choice is about democratic politics, not managerial control
Sustainability and Nexus Thinking
But Nexus Rhetorics also bring Another Challenge
If seen as technical and singular, rather than political and plural…Nexus thinking can become about control (rather than care); narrowing understandings, closing down choices, justifying power
Simplified instrumental assessment…
eg: -singular ‘bottom line’-‘simple solutions’-‘sound science’-evidence based policy
Subverting appreciations for complexity, uncertainty, context-sensitivity, multiple framings and diverse options
If seen as technical and singular, rather than political and plural…Nexus thinking can become about control (rather than care); narrowing understandings, closing down choices, justifying power
Subverting appreciations for complexity, uncertainty, context-sensitivity, multiple framings and diverse options
If seen as technical and singular, rather than political and plural…it can become about control (rather than care); narrowing understandings, closing down choices, justifying incumbent power
Politics reduced to risk: from ends: strategic choices between visionsto means: detailed regulation of modalities
Singular top down visionsfor ‘the transition’ - models
- missions- handbooks- manuals- “road maps”
But Nexus Rhetorics also bring Another Challenge
Subverting appreciations for complexity, uncertainty, context-sensitivity, multiple framings and diverse options
If seen as technical and singular, rather than political and plural…it can become about control (rather than care); narrowing understandings, closing down choices, justifying incumbent power
Politics reduced to risk: from ends: strategic choices between visionsto means: detailed regulation of modalities
Subverting appreciations for complexity, uncertainty, context-sensitivity, multiple framings and diverse options
If seen as technical and singular, rather than political and plural…it can become about control (rather than care); narrowing understandings, closing down choices, justifying incumbent power
Politics reduced to risk: from ends: strategic choices between visionsto means: detailed regulation of modalities
(aspects that are conveyed outwards into wider discourse)
’Plural conditional’ conclusions…
… if X then A … if Y then B …
From Rhetorics to Practice
A multiplicity of practical ‘nexus methods’ can help resist closure … helping enable collective action in long tradition of sustainability
narrow
broad
closing down opening up
expert / analytic
participatory / deliberative
decision analysis
INP
UT
S
OUTPUTS
sustainability
safety
impacts
From Rhetorics to Practice
A multiplicity of practical ‘nexus methods’ can help resist closure … helping enable collective action in long tradition of sustainability
narrow
broad
closing down opening up
expert / analytic
participatory / deliberative
citizen’s juries
INP
UT
S
OUTPUTS
From Rhetorics to Practice
A multiplicity of practical ‘nexus methods’ can help resist closure … helping enable collective action in long tradition of sustainability
narrow
broad
closing down opening up
expert / analytic
participatory / deliberative
citizen’s juries
participatory appraisal
q-method
scientometric mapping
open space
multicriteria mapping
extended foresightcitizen’s juries
decision analysis
stakeholder negotiation
participatory sensitivity analysis
cost-benefit analysis
risk assessment
interactive modelling
structured interviews
participant observation
multi-site ethnographic-
methods
citizen’s juries
consensus conference
open hearings
concurrent evidence
critical narratives
intervention futures
PIPA
plural photovoice
system histories
innovation histories
INP
UT
S
OUTPUTS
From Rhetorics to Practice
A multiplicity of practical ‘nexus methods’ can help resist closure … helping enable collective action in long tradition of sustainability
spot-the-narrative
narrow
broad
closing down opening up
expert / analytic
participatory / deliberative
citizen’s juries
decision analysis
participatory rural appraisal
stakeholder negotiation
q-method
sensitivity analysis
deliberative mapping
scientometric mapping
open space
cost-benefit analysis
risk assessment
interactive modelling
structured interviews
narrative-based participant observation
multi-site ethnographic-
methods
citizen’s juries
consensus conference
open hearings
dissenting opinions
multi-criteria mapping
extended foresight
stakeholder negotiation
cost-benefit analysis
risk assessment
INP
UT
S
OUTPUTS
The Dance with Power
Familiar political pressures act very strongly on Nexus methods to: justify decisions, command authority, foster trust, secure acceptance, manage blame
expert / analytic
participatory / deliberative
narrow
broad
closing down opening up
participatory appraisal
q-method open space
multicriteria mapping
participatory sensitivity
analysis
intervention futures PIPA
plural photovoice
system histories
innovation histories
INP
UT
S
OUTPUTS
Nexus thinking: from connecting to transforming…
Rigour means actively balancing incumbent pressures for justification… the most important practical Nexus capability is enabling democratic struggle