An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions

In 2017, the Swedish parliament committed to making the country fossil-free by 2045, prompting an exploration of experiences and perceptions of transition in three cities hosting carbon-intensive industries – steel, cement and petrochemicals, which currently top the list of Sweden’s industrial emitt...

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Main Author: Clifton Evers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bristol University Press 2024-07-01
Series:Global Social Challenges Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1332/27523349Y2024D000000019
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author Clifton Evers
author_facet Clifton Evers
author_sort Clifton Evers
collection DOAJ
description In 2017, the Swedish parliament committed to making the country fossil-free by 2045, prompting an exploration of experiences and perceptions of transition in three cities hosting carbon-intensive industries – steel, cement and petrochemicals, which currently top the list of Sweden’s industrial emitters. From 2019 to 2024, a Swedish–UK research team employed conventional qualitative methods to gather insights from various stakeholders, including industry, municipal actors, and residents, supplemented by arts-based research methods for co-creating data on affective-emotional life in transition towns. This article argues that arts-based research serves as a valuable tool for accounting for and understanding affective-emotional life in frontline transition towns. The arts-based research (ABR) challenges prevailing technocratic and rational frameworks, aligning with ecofeminist Val Plumwood’s call to address the ‘ecological crisis of reason’ that serves to inhibit achieving sustainable futures. The primary value of this article lies in its contribution to the development and refinement of ABR within the context of just transition studies that I argue can help add citizen perspectives and consideration of affective-emotional life to the just transition discourse.
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spelling doaj-art-ddc733276fa9474bb37ec1ebedeb29192025-01-20T03:32:49ZengBristol University PressGlobal Social Challenges Journal2752-33492024-07-013310.1332/27523349Y2024D000000019gscj-03-03-360An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitionsClifton Evers0Newcastle University, UKIn 2017, the Swedish parliament committed to making the country fossil-free by 2045, prompting an exploration of experiences and perceptions of transition in three cities hosting carbon-intensive industries – steel, cement and petrochemicals, which currently top the list of Sweden’s industrial emitters. From 2019 to 2024, a Swedish–UK research team employed conventional qualitative methods to gather insights from various stakeholders, including industry, municipal actors, and residents, supplemented by arts-based research methods for co-creating data on affective-emotional life in transition towns. This article argues that arts-based research serves as a valuable tool for accounting for and understanding affective-emotional life in frontline transition towns. The arts-based research (ABR) challenges prevailing technocratic and rational frameworks, aligning with ecofeminist Val Plumwood’s call to address the ‘ecological crisis of reason’ that serves to inhibit achieving sustainable futures. The primary value of this article lies in its contribution to the development and refinement of ABR within the context of just transition studies that I argue can help add citizen perspectives and consideration of affective-emotional life to the just transition discourse.https://doi.org/10.1332/27523349Y2024D000000019just transitionarts-based methodscreative methodsfossil-freeemotionaffects
spellingShingle Clifton Evers
An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions
Global Social Challenges Journal
just transition
arts-based methods
creative methods
fossil-free
emotion
affects
title An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions
title_full An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions
title_fullStr An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions
title_full_unstemmed An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions
title_short An ecological crisis of reason: using creative and arts-based research methods for exploring affective-emotional life and just transitions
title_sort ecological crisis of reason using creative and arts based research methods for exploring affective emotional life and just transitions
topic just transition
arts-based methods
creative methods
fossil-free
emotion
affects
url https://doi.org/10.1332/27523349Y2024D000000019
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