Track 6a
Lifestyles and consumer behaviour
Track Chair
Associate Professor Iain Black, Heriot Watt University
If we are at a tipping point and the evidence strongly suggests we are, how do we change lifestyles and our relationships with consumption quickly enough and substantially enough to address the scale of the problem? In this track, we welcome research that examines dramatic and substantial change, from recent times or in history, from within the fields of sustainable development or elsewhere and from before tipping points to after. This work might look to examine the inaction up to the point or crisis (or tipping point), or the context, causes, conditions and changes occurring as the people and society either decided to or were forced to act.
The track is methodologically and philosophically pluralist and welcomes work from across the spectrum of science. In examining the tipping point, lifestyles and consumer behaviours, use of psychological, sociological, historical or anthropological frameworks are all valid and we look forward to a body of work that examines the issues using a broad range of lenses. We also welcome work sited at a micro, meso or meta scale.
The following are some of the areas of particular interest, though we welcome scholarly papers whose view falls outside this list:
- Loss and reconstruction of lifestyles, practices and behaviours.
- Understanding of the dramatic changes required may be found in understanding loss, either expected and hence with the opportunity to plan for the future or unexpected and therefore having to react the situation.
- Understanding of the dramatic changes required may be found in understanding loss, either expected and hence with the opportunity to plan for the future or unexpected and therefore having to react the situation.
- How to break, reform and reconstitute practices, habits and behaviours?
- Moving the national and global elites.
- Of key importance is how to address the power of the global business and political elite who represent a main barrier to the implementation of mitigation policies required.
- Of key importance is how to address the power of the global business and political elite who represent a main barrier to the implementation of mitigation policies required.
- Mobilisation.
- Work addressing the mobilisation of change agents ranging across different scales from engaging people and families in community initiatives to the large scale changes possible with social movements. In particular, work examining social movements where significant lasting change has come about through the mobilisation of citizens promoting an ideology in opposition to a dominate power, is welcomed. Here again we may look at the lessons to be learnt from research outside the immediate area of sustainability or sustainability.
- Work addressing the mobilisation of change agents ranging across different scales from engaging people and families in community initiatives to the large scale changes possible with social movements. In particular, work examining social movements where significant lasting change has come about through the mobilisation of citizens promoting an ideology in opposition to a dominate power, is welcomed. Here again we may look at the lessons to be learnt from research outside the immediate area of sustainability or sustainability.
- Considering the conference location what lessons in how to rebalance or reaffirm our relationship with nature and the balance required for sustainable eco-systems can be learnt from history and for the indigenous peoples of Australia (and elsewhere)?
- Work examining how social scientists (including marketers) have worked with physical and earth scientists or engineers to "sell" their ideas or technology solutions to a range of stakeholders including governments and consumers.
- Reviews, potentially using a one of a number of different frameworks (marketing, persuasion, diffusion of innovation) of why important ideas or promising technologies have failed.
- Reviews, potentially using a one of a number of different frameworks (marketing, persuasion, diffusion of innovation) of why important ideas or promising technologies have failed.
- There is much to fear in life after the tipping point but how should this moment in time and its consequences be framed in order to motivate change? Should fear appeals be used or framing that highlights the optimistic and positive possibilities of change? When, where and with whom should these approaches be used?
Please contact: I.R.Black@hw.ac.uk
You may submit your abstract by visiting the Ex Ordo abstract submission system (you will be required to setup an account first): http://isdrs2015.exordo.com/
