ABSTRACT

This book showcases strategic policies for and processes of societal transformation, which are required to address the challenge of sustainability. Based on the latest thinking at the interface of social innovation, sustainable consumption and the transformation of society, the book provides:

    • in-depth discussions at the nexus of sustainable consumption, social innovation and social transformation, highlighting their significance to sustainability-related policy and practice;
    • detailed case studies of social innovation in energy, food, housing and policy which illustrate emerging practice and promising policy, business and civil society interventions; and
    • critical reflections and commentaries on the contribution of social innovation to societal transformation.

Bringing together aspiring scholars and leading thinkers on this topic, this book leads to compelling new insights for an international audience into the potential of social innovation for sustainable consumption and the transformation of society. It will be of great interest to students and scholars of sustainable consumption, sustainable development, (social) innovation studies and environmental sociology.

chapter 1|11 pages

Introduction

The nexus of social innovation, sustainable consumption and societal transformation

chapter 3|15 pages

The idea(l) of a ‘sustainable sharing economy’

Four social science perspectives on transformative change

chapter 5|18 pages

Local authorities and their development of new governance approaches

Distilling lessons from a social innovation project

chapter 6|14 pages

Hitting a policy wall

The transformative potential and limitations of community pick-up point schemes

chapter 9|13 pages

Towards sustainable practices

A practice-theoretical case study of a cohousing project

chapter 12|6 pages

Commentary from a Japanese perspective

Tapping into traditions for transitions and societal transformations

chapter 13|11 pages

Conclusions

How social innovations become transformative and help increase sustainability