Governing transitions in the sustainability of everyday life

Abstract

The literature on sociotechnical transitions and their governance tends to concentrate on the introduction of new technologies and systems of supply. In this paper we seek to extend the scope of debate, introducing aspects of practice theory as a means of also conceptualising the dynamics of demand. Rather than treating ‘human need’ or ‘societal functions’ as given, we consider how variously sustainable practices come into existence, how they disappear and how interventions of different forms may be implicated in these dynamics. We use the two cases of daily showering and the congestion charging scheme in London to consider the distinctive challenges of understanding transitions in practice and of governing these so as to engender more sustainable ways of life.