A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions

Cross-disciplinary understanding of strategies for stimulating transitional change is critical, in the face of the escalating climate crisis (Newell et al., 2022). If we are to meaningfully stimulate and accelerate transitions toward more sustainable practices, we must foster community and connecti...

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Main Authors: Michael Murray, Emina Petrovic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Art + Design: elearning lab - design for social change, Cyprus University of Technology 2023-11-01
Series:Discern
Subjects:
Online Access:https://designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J/article/view/129
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author Michael Murray
Emina Petrovic
author_facet Michael Murray
Emina Petrovic
author_sort Michael Murray
collection DOAJ
description Cross-disciplinary understanding of strategies for stimulating transitional change is critical, in the face of the escalating climate crisis (Newell et al., 2022). If we are to meaningfully stimulate and accelerate transitions toward more sustainable practices, we must foster community and connectivity within and across disciplines. This article presents the findings of a literature review on physical and digital community organization and connectivity strategies, articulating the potential of participation and knowledge sharing within communities to stimulate meaningful change. Eight physical, community-based strategies are reviewed and analysed, alongside four digital strategies. The selection of physical strategies conveys a range of tried-and-tested methods of stimulating change, while the review of digital strategies explores how traditional methods have been adapted into the digital age. The physical strategies reviewed include: community of practice, social entrepreneurship, community of interest, community capacity building, game changers, disruptors, intersectional activism and mass mobilization. The digital strategies reviewed include: digital mobilization, virtual community of practice, digital storytelling and digital artefacts. Middle-out approaches to change are particularly focussed upon, as they are most effective for individual actors within disciplines wishing to stimulate change (Janda & Parag, 2011; Simpson et al., 2020). By bringing together into one place an analysis of a range of existing approaches, this review takes an initial step toward establishing a cross-disciplinary library of community organizing and connectivity strategies. The aspiration is that this will support the collective benefit of all disciplines seeking to accelerate sustainable, transitional change.
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spelling doaj.art-37ffb9baf0254645bf543faddd07acfa2023-11-20T11:03:11ZengArt + Design: elearning lab - design for social change, Cyprus University of TechnologyDiscern2184-69952023-11-0142A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitionsMichael Murray0Emina Petrovic1Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington Cross-disciplinary understanding of strategies for stimulating transitional change is critical, in the face of the escalating climate crisis (Newell et al., 2022). If we are to meaningfully stimulate and accelerate transitions toward more sustainable practices, we must foster community and connectivity within and across disciplines. This article presents the findings of a literature review on physical and digital community organization and connectivity strategies, articulating the potential of participation and knowledge sharing within communities to stimulate meaningful change. Eight physical, community-based strategies are reviewed and analysed, alongside four digital strategies. The selection of physical strategies conveys a range of tried-and-tested methods of stimulating change, while the review of digital strategies explores how traditional methods have been adapted into the digital age. The physical strategies reviewed include: community of practice, social entrepreneurship, community of interest, community capacity building, game changers, disruptors, intersectional activism and mass mobilization. The digital strategies reviewed include: digital mobilization, virtual community of practice, digital storytelling and digital artefacts. Middle-out approaches to change are particularly focussed upon, as they are most effective for individual actors within disciplines wishing to stimulate change (Janda & Parag, 2011; Simpson et al., 2020). By bringing together into one place an analysis of a range of existing approaches, this review takes an initial step toward establishing a cross-disciplinary library of community organizing and connectivity strategies. The aspiration is that this will support the collective benefit of all disciplines seeking to accelerate sustainable, transitional change. https://designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J/article/view/129Community and connectivityMiddle-out changeSustainable transitionsAcceleration
spellingShingle Michael Murray
Emina Petrovic
A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
Discern
Community and connectivity
Middle-out change
Sustainable transitions
Acceleration
title A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
title_full A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
title_fullStr A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
title_full_unstemmed A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
title_short A review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
title_sort review of community and connectivity strategies for the acceleration of sustainable transitions
topic Community and connectivity
Middle-out change
Sustainable transitions
Acceleration
url https://designforsocialchange.org/journal/index.php/DISCERN-J/article/view/129
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