Being’ and ‘doing’

Interconnections between researcher identity and conceptualizations of sustainability research

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12950876
AutoresViola Hakkarainen (0000-0001-8965-0947, University of Helsinki, autor correspondente), Ulla Ovaska (0000-0003-4673-6569, Natural Resources Institute Finland), Katriina Soini (0000-0002-8617-9165, Natural Resources Institute Finland), Annukka Vainio (0000-0002-1348-2710, University of Helsinki)
Ano2023
Volume18
Fascículo5
Páginas2341-2355
Data de publicação2023-06-29
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSustainability Science (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1862-4057 • E-ISSN: 1862-4065
EditoraSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11625-023-01364-7
OpenAlexW4382725807
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas52

Sustainability research is characterized by a plurality of interests, actors, and research traditions. Sustainability is a widely used concept across multiple disciplines and often a cross-cutting theme in different research projects. However, there is a limited understanding of how researchers from multiple disciplinary backgrounds approach sustainability and position themselves in sustainability research as a part of their researcher identity. Previous studies among sustainability science experts have indicated diverse approaches and definitions of the socio-political, epistemic and normative dimensions of sustainability. In this study, we use semi-structured interviews with researchers ( N = 7) and a survey distributed to two academic institutes in Finland ( N = 376) to examine how researchers relate to sustainability research through the notions of identity as ‘being’ and ‘doing’ and how the differing ways to relate to sustainability research shape preferred definitions and approaches. The examination of perspectives among researchers enables the identification of diverse views related to sustainability and, consequently, sheds light on what kinds of ideas of sustainability get presented in the research. We conclude that understanding different identities is crucial for negotiating and implementing sustainability and developing sustainability research, requiring more attention to researchers’ positionality and reflexivity

Discipline · Engineering ethics · Identity (music · Normative · Political science · Public relations · Reflexivity · Social science · Social sustainability · Sociology · Sustainability · Sustainability organizations · Sustainability science · Engineering · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Service-Learning and Community Engagement · Sustainability in Higher Education · Ecology