Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations
Abstract Relationships and interactions between humans and their environment play an important role in sustainability transformations. However, their conceptualization remains a big challenge in current social‐ecological research. We propose resonance theory by the German sociologist Hartmut Rosa as...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10777 |
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| author | Florian Brossette Claudia Bieling |
| author_facet | Florian Brossette Claudia Bieling |
| author_sort | Florian Brossette |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Relationships and interactions between humans and their environment play an important role in sustainability transformations. However, their conceptualization remains a big challenge in current social‐ecological research. We propose resonance theory by the German sociologist Hartmut Rosa as a fruitful framework to advance social‐ecological thinking. Resonance theory investigates the quality of the relationships between self and world and scrutinizes their relevance for transformations. To illustrate the potentials of resonance theory, we use a vignette approach to cases of landscape stewardship initiatives in the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve in Germany. In distinguishing between self and world and highlighting the role of relationships, resonance theory brings ontological and epistemological clarity, while overcoming a strict dichotomy between social and ecological. We find that resonance theory provides a much needed framework to describe how system‐wide transformations emerge from interactions and out of relationships at the individual level. We argue that resonance theory contributes to social‐ecological systems thinking by adding the notion of uncontrollability in transformations and shifting the debate on agency towards relationships. Synthesis and applications: This paper demonstrates the meaningfulness of relational paradigms for real‐world transformations in theory and practice. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-95edba0f03bc4710838db6bad5a8c942 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj-art-95edba0f03bc4710838db6bad5a8c9422025-02-06T05:27:38ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142025-02-017251652910.1002/pan3.10777Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformationsFlorian Brossette0Claudia Bieling1Institute of Social Sciences in Agriculture, Societal Transition and Agriculture (430b), Schloss Museumsflügel, University of Hohenheim Stuttgart GermanyInstitute of Social Sciences in Agriculture, Societal Transition and Agriculture (430b), Schloss Museumsflügel, University of Hohenheim Stuttgart GermanyAbstract Relationships and interactions between humans and their environment play an important role in sustainability transformations. However, their conceptualization remains a big challenge in current social‐ecological research. We propose resonance theory by the German sociologist Hartmut Rosa as a fruitful framework to advance social‐ecological thinking. Resonance theory investigates the quality of the relationships between self and world and scrutinizes their relevance for transformations. To illustrate the potentials of resonance theory, we use a vignette approach to cases of landscape stewardship initiatives in the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve in Germany. In distinguishing between self and world and highlighting the role of relationships, resonance theory brings ontological and epistemological clarity, while overcoming a strict dichotomy between social and ecological. We find that resonance theory provides a much needed framework to describe how system‐wide transformations emerge from interactions and out of relationships at the individual level. We argue that resonance theory contributes to social‐ecological systems thinking by adding the notion of uncontrollability in transformations and shifting the debate on agency towards relationships. Synthesis and applications: This paper demonstrates the meaningfulness of relational paradigms for real‐world transformations in theory and practice. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10777Black Forest Biosphere Reservecomplex adaptive systemshuman–nature connectednesslandscape stewardshiprelational approaches |
| spellingShingle | Florian Brossette Claudia Bieling Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations People and Nature Black Forest Biosphere Reserve complex adaptive systems human–nature connectedness landscape stewardship relational approaches |
| title | Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations |
| title_full | Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations |
| title_fullStr | Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations |
| title_short | Connecting resonance theory with social‐ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self‐world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations |
| title_sort | connecting resonance theory with social ecological thinking conceptualizing self world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations |
| topic | Black Forest Biosphere Reserve complex adaptive systems human–nature connectedness landscape stewardship relational approaches |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10777 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT florianbrossette connectingresonancetheorywithsocialecologicalthinkingconceptualizingselfworldrelationshipsinthecontextofsustainabilitytransformations AT claudiabieling connectingresonancetheorywithsocialecologicalthinkingconceptualizingselfworldrelationshipsinthecontextofsustainabilitytransformations |