ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the role of an action research project with a network of civil society organisations in Flanders (Belgium). The network was initiated in 2010 in reaction against Flemish transition policy, with as goal the promotion of just and more radical forms of sustainability transitions. The chapter tries to answer how action research can play a role in a network of civil society organisations that aim to influence sustainability transitions. Methodologies such as a learning history and mind mapping proved useful to set up a dialogue between practitioners, support mutual learning, and bridge differences in opinion about vision and strategy. This supposes that an action researcher is able to navigate different roles. The case also shows that the context – such as a favourable policy environment – influences the potential for action research. The impact of the research beyond the network is however difficult to assess as it blends in with the diversity of activities the network has set up. It forces a researcher to reflect on the circumstances under which research produces socially relevant and useful knowledge.
