Occupations, Natural Commons and Polycentric Organizing: Social-symbolic Work in the Anthropocene

Abstract

We study social-symbolic work to understand institutional change in the Anthropocene. The social-symbolic perspective emphasizes the role of multiple and heterogeneous agents engage in a wide range of purposeful and reflective efforts to create, maintain, adapt or transform institutions- This connects institutional change to cope with significant transformation of natural commons occupations. supporting institutional change to address grand environmental challenges. Studying the transformation of inland lake fisheries traditional and novel scientific occupations in Finland in the last decade, we build a model of polycentric organizing and social-symbolic work, that addresses two co-evolving trajectories of occupations that show the acceleration of social-symbolic work to trigger a historical shift. First, the current state of natural commons which focuses on local ecological problems and traditional knowledge. Second, the ideal state of natural commons that focuses on ecological health and the interconnection of lakes with large ecosystems and planetary boundaries and science. We contribute to social-symbolic work theory and institutional change extending to collective action institutions and polycentric organizing.