ABSTRACT
Several authors who share an interest in transitions have criticized much of transition literature for focusing too much on corporate, technology and policy actors, whereas other key actors, in particular consumers, are largely neglected (Shove 2003; Shove & Walker 2010; Spaargaren 2003; Spaargaren et al. 2006; Hegger 2007). They point out that in transition theory the role of diverse social practices, characterized by particular ways of living, tends to become overlooked. Among other things, this implies a risk of unduly taking societal needs for granted when conceiving sustainability transitions. Also, transition theory tends to under-emphasize the agency of consumers, who may act as change agents in ‘bottom-up’ or ‘grassroots’ transitions (Seyfang & Smith 2007). On the other hand, as especially Shove and Walker (2010) have pointed out in a thought-provoking article, both the agency of consumers and the complex interference between different practices may yield unintended effects to attempted interventions.
