The prefigurative politics of enactable sustainability transformations in the present
Özet
The concept of “prefigurative politics” invites geographers to envision transformative change through a shift in practices stemming from a micro level. This article examines and substantiates how this idea is mobilised in relation to current sustainability transformations. A large interdisciplinary group of geographers and transition scholars present topic clusters of prefigurative enablers that instigate and catalyse the enactment of transformative policymaking towards sustainable futures. Drawing on dozens of rich and diverse examples to illustrate cases of transformation, we provide a conceptual perspective to advance the theoretical discussion about triggers and processes of transformative change amongst geographers. We argue for three principles for examining the prefigurative politics of present transformation: (a) multi-scalarity, to consider prefigurative politics across personal-systemic spheres; (b) boundary transgression, to span interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary as well as inward- and outward-looking prefigurative politics; and (c) temporalities, to address institutionalisation and change processes that play out along short and long timelines. Approaching present transformations through a prefigurative politics lens helps identify scope for action that aligns with transformative change. We argue for wider deployment of these principles, to synthesise scholarship, channel micro-level prefigurative political efforts into systemic transformative change, and guide future research and policymaking towards sustainability transformations.
Anahtar kelimeler
Atıf için künye
Sareen, S., Juhola, S., Czarnecka, A., Kekkonen, A., Martinovska Stojcheska, A., Slavec, A., Uchanska-Bieniusiewicz, A., Rønningstad, C., Martin, C., Tamašauskaitė-Janickė, G., Rocha, H. B., Kunnas, J., Vasconcelos, M. L., Riechers, M., Prechtl, M. H. G., Piotrkowska, M., Alkan, N., Kalkan, N., Esenbuğa, N., … Kiss, V. (2025). The prefigurative politics of enactable sustainability transformations in the present. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift, 79. https://doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2026.2648496
BibTeX
@article{sareen2025-288107,
author = {Sareen, Siddharth and Juhola, Sirkku and Czarnecka, Adrianna and Kekkonen, Aleksandra and Martinovska Stojcheska, Aleksandra and Slavec, Ana and Uchanska-Bieniusiewicz, Anita and Rønningstad, Chris and Martin, Claudiu and Tamašauskaitė-Janickė, Gintarė and Rocha, Helena Belchior and Kunnas, Jan and Vasconcelos, Maria Luísa and Riechers, Maraja and Prechtl, Martin H. G. and Piotrkowska, Monika and Alkan, Nigar and Kalkan, Nimet and Esenbuğa, Nurinisa and Pineda-Martos, Rocío and Bernardo, Sandra and Milliken, Sarah and Okkiran, Şehnaz and Burakgazi, Sevinç Gelmez and Von Wirth, Timo and Güngör, Tuba Aydın and Kiss, Veronika},
title = {The prefigurative politics of enactable sustainability transformations in the present},
journal = {Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift},
year = {2025},
volume = {79},
issn = {0029-1951},
doi = {10.1080/00291951.2026.2648496},
url = {https://akademik.atauni.edu.tr/yayinlar/288107-the-prefigurative-politics-of-enactable-sustainability-transformations-in-the}
}