Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches
Climate change may be a game-changer for scientific research by promoting a science that is grounded in linking the production of knowledge and societal action in a transition toward more sustainable development pathways. Here, we discuss participatory action-research (PAR) as a way of thinking and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2016-03-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss1/art13/ |
| _version_ | 1818724019533250560 |
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| author | Inês S. Campos Filipe M. Alves João Dinis Monica Truninger André Vizinho Gil Penha-Lopes |
| author_facet | Inês S. Campos Filipe M. Alves João Dinis Monica Truninger André Vizinho Gil Penha-Lopes |
| author_sort | Inês S. Campos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change may be a game-changer for scientific research by promoting a science that is grounded in linking the production of knowledge and societal action in a transition toward more sustainable development pathways. Here, we discuss participatory action-research (PAR) as a way of thinking and leading investigations that may promote incremental and transformative changes in the context of climate change adaptation research. Our exploration is addressed in the Portuguese context, where PAR and sustainable transition studies are still marginal, and adaptation processes are a recent topic on political agendas. We describe the characteristics of PAR and use two studies of adaptation to illustrate how research and practice co-evolve through interactive cycles. The two studies are works in progress, rather than completed PAR processes. Climate change adaptation is an ongoing and long-term process. Moreover, in Portugal, as in many regions of the world, climate change adaptation is a fairly new topic. Thus, both case studies are now initiating a long-term process of change and adaptation. The completion of one research cycle is a realistic expectation that we have achieved in the two case study experiences. In our discussion of the case studies, we consider how these experiences provide insights into the role of PAR for long-term regime changes. We conclude by pointing to the societal needs addressed by PAR, as a pragmatically oriented and context-specific research design. The approach can be complementary to other frameworks in sustainable transition studies such as transition management. Being more pragmatically oriented, PAR cycles may influence incrementally transformative changes that can be guided by transition management's long-term design for governing sustainable transitions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T21:19:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c634f524fa34439a809ebb5fef344869 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T21:19:46Z |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-c634f524fa34439a809ebb5fef3448692022-12-21T21:32:14ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872016-03-012111310.5751/ES-08059-2101138059Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approachesInês S. Campos0Filipe M. Alves1João Dinis2Monica Truninger3André Vizinho4Gil Penha-Lopes5Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), University of LisbonCenter for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), University of LisbonCascais MunicipalityInstitute of Social Sciences, University of LisbonCenter for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), University of LisbonCenter for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), University of LisbonClimate change may be a game-changer for scientific research by promoting a science that is grounded in linking the production of knowledge and societal action in a transition toward more sustainable development pathways. Here, we discuss participatory action-research (PAR) as a way of thinking and leading investigations that may promote incremental and transformative changes in the context of climate change adaptation research. Our exploration is addressed in the Portuguese context, where PAR and sustainable transition studies are still marginal, and adaptation processes are a recent topic on political agendas. We describe the characteristics of PAR and use two studies of adaptation to illustrate how research and practice co-evolve through interactive cycles. The two studies are works in progress, rather than completed PAR processes. Climate change adaptation is an ongoing and long-term process. Moreover, in Portugal, as in many regions of the world, climate change adaptation is a fairly new topic. Thus, both case studies are now initiating a long-term process of change and adaptation. The completion of one research cycle is a realistic expectation that we have achieved in the two case study experiences. In our discussion of the case studies, we consider how these experiences provide insights into the role of PAR for long-term regime changes. We conclude by pointing to the societal needs addressed by PAR, as a pragmatically oriented and context-specific research design. The approach can be complementary to other frameworks in sustainable transition studies such as transition management. Being more pragmatically oriented, PAR cycles may influence incrementally transformative changes that can be guided by transition management's long-term design for governing sustainable transitions.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss1/art13/adaptationparticipatory action-researchPortugaltransitions |
| spellingShingle | Inês S. Campos Filipe M. Alves João Dinis Monica Truninger André Vizinho Gil Penha-Lopes Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches Ecology and Society adaptation participatory action-research Portugal transitions |
| title | Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches |
| title_full | Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches |
| title_fullStr | Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches |
| title_short | Climate adaptation, transitions, and socially innovative action-research approaches |
| title_sort | climate adaptation transitions and socially innovative action research approaches |
| topic | adaptation participatory action-research Portugal transitions |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss1/art13/ |
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