Noel Longhurst is a lecturer in Energy and Climate Change at the University of East Anglia. He is an economic geographer who is interested in the multiple relationships between energy and economy and how these are changing as we attempt to move towards a post-fossil era. Empirically, his research has focused primarily on the processes and dynamics of sustainability innovation, particularly grassroots innovations which emerge from civil society and social movements.
Noel Longhurst
Faculty
Selected Publications
Other
Selected Publications
Other
2024
Honeybun-Arnolda, Elliot; Stephanides, Phedeas; Hoerbst, Franziska; Longhurst, Noel; Maguire, Duncan; Hoechner, Hannah
Let’s ‘do different’: Planetary Citizen Education Proposal Technical Report
UEA’s Biodiversity and Climate Action Network (BCAN) 2024.
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title = {Let's 'do different': Planetary Citizen Education Proposal},
author = {Elliot Honeybun-Arnolda and Phedeas Stephanides and Franziska Hoerbst and Noel Longhurst and Duncan Maguire and Hannah Hoechner},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
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abstract = {BCAN, the Biodiversity and Climate Action Network, brings together students and staff at UEA committed to making UEA ‘walk the talk’ on the climate & biodiversity emergencies.The BCAN “Climate Education” working group has developed a series of pragmatic proposals for improving climate education at UEA. These proposals are based on research on other universities’ climate education work, on staff and student workshops (funded by the Chase Climate Justice Network) and on conversations with relevant bodies at UEA.Implementing these proposals will require a moderate level of resource commitment from central management. Not committing these resources puts UEA at significant risk of further falling behind others in the sector. The proposals in this report can be implemented swiftly and mostly be slotted into existing structures. They should be a starting point for more fundamental reforms in the near future.This report proposes that UEA widens, broadens, and deepens its climate education offer, by taking the steps outlined in detail in the graphic on the next page.The proposals in this report are based on a philosophy of interdisciplinary critical optimism that takes issues of climate avoidance and climate anxiety seriously, while equipping students with critical thinking skills and preparing them for taking action in the real world.},
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BCAN, the Biodiversity and Climate Action Network, brings together students and staff at UEA committed to making UEA ‘walk the talk’ on the climate & biodiversity emergencies.The BCAN “Climate Education” working group has developed a series of pragmatic proposals for improving climate education at UEA. These proposals are based on research on other universities’ climate education work, on staff and student workshops (funded by the Chase Climate Justice Network) and on conversations with relevant bodies at UEA.Implementing these proposals will require a moderate level of resource commitment from central management. Not committing these resources puts UEA at significant risk of further falling behind others in the sector. The proposals in this report can be implemented swiftly and mostly be slotted into existing structures. They should be a starting point for more fundamental reforms in the near future.This report proposes that UEA widens, broadens, and deepens its climate education offer, by taking the steps outlined in detail in the graphic on the next page.The proposals in this report are based on a philosophy of interdisciplinary critical optimism that takes issues of climate avoidance and climate anxiety seriously, while equipping students with critical thinking skills and preparing them for taking action in the real world.
2022
Churchman, Phil; Longhurst, Noel
Where is our delivery? The political and socio-technical roadblocks to decarbonising United Kingdom road freight Journal Article
In: Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 83, 2022, ISSN: 2214-6296.
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title = {Where is our delivery? The political and socio-technical roadblocks to decarbonising United Kingdom road freight},
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doi = {10.1016/j.erss.2021.102330},
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year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-01},
journal = {Energy Research & Social Science},
volume = {83},
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abstract = {Road freight represents approximately 8.5% of UK carbon emissions and therefore must be abated if the UK government’s objective to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is to be achieved. While several technology options exist, it is commonly viewed as a hard-to-abate sector and progress to decarbonisation remains slow.Whereas techno-economic aspects of the low carbon transition of road freight are well studied, socio-technical and political aspects are much less so. This is in contrast with substantial socio-technical literature focused on the transition of passenger vehicles. Symptomatic of this, there is little direct engagement in research with freight industry operators and participants. This study seeks to address these gaps by considering the views of these key actors through qualitative social science research.Fifteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders within the road freight industry. These revealed a range of themes and relevant issues which underline the complexity of this transition. Further analysis of the data revealed six overarching viewpoints that reflect the primary concerns of the expert interviewees. These viewpoints suggest that the challenges for the road freight transition are principally political and socio-technical, and opportunities are identified to further explore these through future research.},
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Road freight represents approximately 8.5% of UK carbon emissions and therefore must be abated if the UK government’s objective to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is to be achieved. While several technology options exist, it is commonly viewed as a hard-to-abate sector and progress to decarbonisation remains slow.Whereas techno-economic aspects of the low carbon transition of road freight are well studied, socio-technical and political aspects are much less so. This is in contrast with substantial socio-technical literature focused on the transition of passenger vehicles. Symptomatic of this, there is little direct engagement in research with freight industry operators and participants. This study seeks to address these gaps by considering the views of these key actors through qualitative social science research.Fifteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders within the road freight industry. These revealed a range of themes and relevant issues which underline the complexity of this transition. Further analysis of the data revealed six overarching viewpoints that reflect the primary concerns of the expert interviewees. These viewpoints suggest that the challenges for the road freight transition are principally political and socio-technical, and opportunities are identified to further explore these through future research.
2020
Ambrosio-Albala, Pepa; Middlemiss, Lucie; Owen, Anne; Hargreaves, Tom; Emmel, Nick; Gilbertson, Jan; Tod, Angela; Snell, Carolyn; Mullen, Caroline; Longhurst, Noel; Gillard, Ross
From rational to relational: How energy poor households engage with the British retail energy market Journal Article
In: Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 70, 2020, ISSN: 2214-6296.
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title = {From rational to relational: How energy poor households engage with the British retail energy market},
author = {Pepa Ambrosio-Albala and Lucie Middlemiss and Anne Owen and Tom Hargreaves and Nick Emmel and Jan Gilbertson and Angela Tod and Carolyn Snell and Caroline Mullen and Noel Longhurst and Ross Gillard},
doi = {10.1016/j.erss.2020.101765},
issn = {2214-6296},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-12-01},
journal = {Energy Research & Social Science},
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abstract = {In the sociological tradition, markets are understood to be constituted of social relations: relations of trust, friendship, power and dependence, which have moral and emotional qualities. In this paper, we explore how people in energy poor households construct the energy market and its impact on energy policy. Drawing on secondary analysis of a large collection of qualitative interviews on the lived experience of energy poverty carried out from 2003 to 2018 (n = 197 interviews and 20 selected), and the results of an OFGEM quantitative survey on consumer engagement released in 2018, we document the experience of the energy poor as actors in the British retail energy market. We uncover a number of challenges and opportunities facing energy poor participants in the market: having access to good quality information about suppliers, energy tariffs and grants, and having the skills and resources to act on this is important, without these it can be difficult for people to take action. In explaining people’s engagement with the market, we draw on the concept of ‘socio-economic attachments’, showing how a supportive network of family and friends, and people’s trust of and resulting loyalty to their energy supplier mediate their engagement. These findings lead us to relational explanations of the retail energy market, with related policy recommendations: if we are to aim for people to act ‘rationally’, they will need support to navigate the market from intermediaries.},
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In the sociological tradition, markets are understood to be constituted of social relations: relations of trust, friendship, power and dependence, which have moral and emotional qualities. In this paper, we explore how people in energy poor households construct the energy market and its impact on energy policy. Drawing on secondary analysis of a large collection of qualitative interviews on the lived experience of energy poverty carried out from 2003 to 2018 (n = 197 interviews and 20 selected), and the results of an OFGEM quantitative survey on consumer engagement released in 2018, we document the experience of the energy poor as actors in the British retail energy market. We uncover a number of challenges and opportunities facing energy poor participants in the market: having access to good quality information about suppliers, energy tariffs and grants, and having the skills and resources to act on this is important, without these it can be difficult for people to take action. In explaining people’s engagement with the market, we draw on the concept of ‘socio-economic attachments’, showing how a supportive network of family and friends, and people’s trust of and resulting loyalty to their energy supplier mediate their engagement. These findings lead us to relational explanations of the retail energy market, with related policy recommendations: if we are to aim for people to act ‘rationally’, they will need support to navigate the market from intermediaries.
2019
Longhurst, Noel; Hargreaves, Thomas
Emotions and fuel poverty: The lived experience of social housing tenants in the United Kingdom Journal Article
In: Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 56, 2019, ISSN: 2214-6296, (Early Title: Emotions and energy vulnerability: The lived experience of social housing tenants).
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abstract = {Dominant policy understandings of fuel poverty tend to overlook its lived experience. This results in narrow, overly technical problem framings and solutions that neglect the multiple, inter-related and dynamic factors that shape experiences of fuel poverty in situ. Recent qualitative work that has examined the lived experience of fuel poverty has begun to recognise the importance of emotional and subjective experiences to experiences of energy vulnerability, but these are generally regarded as consequences of the problem and thus are not treated as central to analyses. This paper explores a range of emotional engagements with energy vulnerability. The paper draws on new empirical data taken from 16 semi-=structured interviews with social housing tenants as well as 10 interviews and a focus group (n=8) with housing association employees. Three distinct forms of emotion engagement were identified as of critical importance for experiences of energy vulnerability: i) worry, fear and control; ii) relationships of care; iii) embarrassment, trust and gratitude. Crucially, and for the first time, the paper shows that emotions are not merely a consequence of energy vulnerability but can also help to cause it. The paper concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of these findings.},
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Dominant policy understandings of fuel poverty tend to overlook its lived experience. This results in narrow, overly technical problem framings and solutions that neglect the multiple, inter-related and dynamic factors that shape experiences of fuel poverty in situ. Recent qualitative work that has examined the lived experience of fuel poverty has begun to recognise the importance of emotional and subjective experiences to experiences of energy vulnerability, but these are generally regarded as consequences of the problem and thus are not treated as central to analyses. This paper explores a range of emotional engagements with energy vulnerability. The paper draws on new empirical data taken from 16 semi-=structured interviews with social housing tenants as well as 10 interviews and a focus group (n=8) with housing association employees. Three distinct forms of emotion engagement were identified as of critical importance for experiences of energy vulnerability: i) worry, fear and control; ii) relationships of care; iii) embarrassment, trust and gratitude. Crucially, and for the first time, the paper shows that emotions are not merely a consequence of energy vulnerability but can also help to cause it. The paper concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of these findings.
Longhurst, Noel; Chilvers, Jason
Mapping diverse visions of energy transitions: co-producing sociotechnical imaginaries Journal Article
In: Sustainability Science, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 973–990, 2019, ISSN: 1862-4065.
@article{ba85ea9986914b95b847006f04a05d68,
title = {Mapping diverse visions of energy transitions: co-producing sociotechnical imaginaries},
author = {Noel Longhurst and Jason Chilvers},
doi = {10.1007/s11625-019-00702-y},
issn = {1862-4065},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-06-08},
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abstract = {The need to rapidly decarbonise energy systems is widely accepted, yet there is growing criticism of ‘top–down’, technocentric transition visions. Transitions are, such critics claim, unpredictable, contested, and comprise of multiple and competing perspectives. This paper opens up to diverse visions of energy transitions by studying a corpus of 12 visions produced across different ‘institutional settings’ of the state, business, science and technology, and civil society in the UK. We introduce a new analytical framework grounded in relational co-productionist perspectives in science and technology studies (STS) to comparatively analyse the similarities and differences of the visions in relation to four dimensions of sociotechnical transformation: meanings, knowings, doings, and organisings. Whilst research on energy transitions often focuses on dominant imaginaries within political cultures, regimes and centres of power, it is an explicit intention of this paper to also comparatively map the distributed, diverse and counter-hegemonic visions. The paper reveals that what is often presented as a primarily ‘technical’ transition is always normative in bringing forward particular forms of social and political order. Our analysis reveals important distinctions between more ‘centred’ and more decentred or ‘alternative’ imaginaries of the energy transition, differences which reveal the inherently political nature of energy futures. Visions which emerge from civil society settings are shown to be a key locus of diversity in sociotechnical imaginaries and tend to open up to alternative models of progress, social change, and the roles of publics. This emphasises the significant role played by the settings and the make-up of collective practices through which energy visions are co-produced. We suggest that mapping diverse visions to reveal their respective partialities, exclusions and sociopolitical dimensions in this way, can offer a more humble, reflexive, and responsible foundation for practices of future-making and sociotechnical transformations.},
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The need to rapidly decarbonise energy systems is widely accepted, yet there is growing criticism of ‘top–down’, technocentric transition visions. Transitions are, such critics claim, unpredictable, contested, and comprise of multiple and competing perspectives. This paper opens up to diverse visions of energy transitions by studying a corpus of 12 visions produced across different ‘institutional settings’ of the state, business, science and technology, and civil society in the UK. We introduce a new analytical framework grounded in relational co-productionist perspectives in science and technology studies (STS) to comparatively analyse the similarities and differences of the visions in relation to four dimensions of sociotechnical transformation: meanings, knowings, doings, and organisings. Whilst research on energy transitions often focuses on dominant imaginaries within political cultures, regimes and centres of power, it is an explicit intention of this paper to also comparatively map the distributed, diverse and counter-hegemonic visions. The paper reveals that what is often presented as a primarily ‘technical’ transition is always normative in bringing forward particular forms of social and political order. Our analysis reveals important distinctions between more ‘centred’ and more decentred or ‘alternative’ imaginaries of the energy transition, differences which reveal the inherently political nature of energy futures. Visions which emerge from civil society settings are shown to be a key locus of diversity in sociotechnical imaginaries and tend to open up to alternative models of progress, social change, and the roles of publics. This emphasises the significant role played by the settings and the make-up of collective practices through which energy visions are co-produced. We suggest that mapping diverse visions to reveal their respective partialities, exclusions and sociopolitical dimensions in this way, can offer a more humble, reflexive, and responsible foundation for practices of future-making and sociotechnical transformations.
2018
Deller, David; Price, Catherine Waddams; Errington, Elizabeth; Fletcher, Amelia; Hargreaves, Tom; Harker, Michael; Longhurst, Noel; Reader, David; Turner, Glen
Fairness in Retail Energy Markets? Evidence from the UK Book
Centre for Competition Policy, 2018.
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year = {2018},
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2017
Haxeltine, Alex; Avelino, Flor; Wittmayer, Julia; Kunze, Iris; Longhurst, Noel; Dumitru, Adina; O’Riordan, Tim
Conceptualising the Role of Social Innovation in Sustainability Transformations Book Chapter
In: Backhaus, Julia; Genus, Audley; Lorek, Sylvia; Vadovics, Edina; Wittmayer, Julia M (Ed.): Social Innovation and Sustainable Consumption, pp. 12–25, Routledge, United States, 2017, ISBN: 9781138706941.
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title = {Conceptualising the Role of Social Innovation in Sustainability Transformations},
author = {Alex Haxeltine and Flor Avelino and Julia Wittmayer and Iris Kunze and Noel Longhurst and Adina Dumitru and Tim O'Riordan},
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Longhurst, Noel; Avelino, Flor; Wittmayer, Julia; Weaver, Paul; Dumitru, Adina; Hielscher, Sabine; Cipolla, Carla; Afonso, Rita; Kunze, Iris; Elle, Morton
Experimenting with alternative economies: Four emergent counter-narratives of urban economic development Journal Article
In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, vol. 22, pp. 69–74, 2017, ISSN: 1877-3435.
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title = {Experimenting with alternative economies: Four emergent counter-narratives of urban economic development},
author = {Noel Longhurst and Flor Avelino and Julia Wittmayer and Paul Weaver and Adina Dumitru and Sabine Hielscher and Carla Cipolla and Rita Afonso and Iris Kunze and Morton Elle},
doi = {10.1016/j.cosust.2017.04.006},
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year = {2017},
date = {2017-05-24},
journal = {Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability},
volume = {22},
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abstract = {Neoliberalism is a powerful narrative that has shaped processes of urban economic development across the globe. This paper reports on four nascent ‘new economic’ narratives which represent fundamentally different imaginaries of the urban economy. Experiments informed by these narratives challenge the dominant neoliberal logic in four key dimensions: What is the purpose of economic development? What are the preferred distributive mechanisms? Who governs the economy? What is the preferred form of economic organisation? The emergence of these experiments illustrates that cities are spaces where counter-narratives can emerge and circulate. Acknowledging the existence of these alternative visions opens up a wider set of possibilities for future urban transitions.},
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Neoliberalism is a powerful narrative that has shaped processes of urban economic development across the globe. This paper reports on four nascent ‘new economic’ narratives which represent fundamentally different imaginaries of the urban economy. Experiments informed by these narratives challenge the dominant neoliberal logic in four key dimensions: What is the purpose of economic development? What are the preferred distributive mechanisms? Who governs the economy? What is the preferred form of economic organisation? The emergence of these experiments illustrates that cities are spaces where counter-narratives can emerge and circulate. Acknowledging the existence of these alternative visions opens up a wider set of possibilities for future urban transitions.
2016
Chilvers, Jason; Longhurst, Noel
Participation in transition(s): Reconceiving public engagements in energy transitions as co-produced, emergent and diverse Journal Article
In: Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 585–607, 2016, ISSN: 1522-7200, (© 2016 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Permission is granted subject to the terms of the License under which the work was published. Please check the License conditions for the work which you wish to reuse. Full and appropriate attribution must be given. This permission does not cover any third party copyrighted material which may appear in the work requested.).
@article{3daea1a94174441d83bb5ce3b8fdd19a,
title = {Participation in transition(s): Reconceiving public engagements in energy transitions as co-produced, emergent and diverse},
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abstract = {This paper brings the transitions literature into conversation with constructivist Science and Technology Studies (STS) perspectives on participation for the first time. In doing so we put forward a conception of public and civil society engagement in sustainability transitions as co-produced, relational, and emergent. Through paying close attention to the ways in which the subjects, objects, and procedural formats of public engagement are constructed through the performance of participatory collectives, our approach offers a framework to open up to and symmetrically compare diverse and interconnected forms of participation that make up wider socio-technical systems. We apply this framework in a comparative analysis of four diverse cases of civil society involvement in UK low carbon energy transitions. This highlights similarities and differences in how these distinct participatory collectives are orchestrated, mediated, and subject to exclusions, as well as their effects in producing particular visions of the issue at stake and implicit models of participation and ‘the public’. In conclusion we reflect on the value of this approach for opening up the politics of societal engagement in transitions, building systemic perspectives of interconnected ‘ecologies of participation’, and better accounting for the emergence, inherent uncertainties, and indeterminacies of all forms of participation in transitions.},
note = {© 2016 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Permission is granted subject to the terms of the License under which the work was published. Please check the License conditions for the work which you wish to reuse. Full and appropriate attribution must be given. This permission does not cover any third party copyrighted material which may appear in the work requested.},
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This paper brings the transitions literature into conversation with constructivist Science and Technology Studies (STS) perspectives on participation for the first time. In doing so we put forward a conception of public and civil society engagement in sustainability transitions as co-produced, relational, and emergent. Through paying close attention to the ways in which the subjects, objects, and procedural formats of public engagement are constructed through the performance of participatory collectives, our approach offers a framework to open up to and symmetrically compare diverse and interconnected forms of participation that make up wider socio-technical systems. We apply this framework in a comparative analysis of four diverse cases of civil society involvement in UK low carbon energy transitions. This highlights similarities and differences in how these distinct participatory collectives are orchestrated, mediated, and subject to exclusions, as well as their effects in producing particular visions of the issue at stake and implicit models of participation and ‘the public’. In conclusion we reflect on the value of this approach for opening up the politics of societal engagement in transitions, building systemic perspectives of interconnected ‘ecologies of participation’, and better accounting for the emergence, inherent uncertainties, and indeterminacies of all forms of participation in transitions.
Seyfang, Gill; Longhurst, Noel
What influences the diffusion of grassroots innovations for sustainability? Investigating community currency niches Journal Article
In: Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 1–23, 2016, ISSN: 1465-3990, (This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited).
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abstract = {Community action for sustainability is a promising site of socio-technical innovation. Here we test the applicability of co-evolutionary niche theories of innovation diffusion (Strategic Niche Management, SNM) to the context of ‘grassroots innovations’. We present new empirical findings from an international study of 12 community currency niches (such as LETS, time banks, local currencies). These are parallel systems of exchange, designed to operate alongside mainstream money, meeting additional sustainability needs. Our findings confirm SNM predictions that niche-level activity correlates with diffusion success, but we highlight additional or confounding factors, and how niche theories might be adapted to better fit civil-society innovations. In so doing, we develop a model of grassroots innovation niche diffusion which builds on existing work and tailors it to this specific context. The paper concludes with a series of theoretically-informed recommendations for practitioners and policymakers to support the development and potential of grassroots innovations.},
note = {This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited},
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Community action for sustainability is a promising site of socio-technical innovation. Here we test the applicability of co-evolutionary niche theories of innovation diffusion (Strategic Niche Management, SNM) to the context of ‘grassroots innovations’. We present new empirical findings from an international study of 12 community currency niches (such as LETS, time banks, local currencies). These are parallel systems of exchange, designed to operate alongside mainstream money, meeting additional sustainability needs. Our findings confirm SNM predictions that niche-level activity correlates with diffusion success, but we highlight additional or confounding factors, and how niche theories might be adapted to better fit civil-society innovations. In so doing, we develop a model of grassroots innovation niche diffusion which builds on existing work and tailors it to this specific context. The paper concludes with a series of theoretically-informed recommendations for practitioners and policymakers to support the development and potential of grassroots innovations.
2015
Longhurst, Noel
Towards an ‘alternative’ geography of innovation: Alternative milieu, socio-cognitive protection and sustainability experimentation Journal Article
In: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, vol. 17, pp. 183–198, 2015, ISSN: 2210-4224.
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title = {Towards an ‘alternative’ geography of innovation: Alternative milieu, socio-cognitive protection and sustainability experimentation},
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issn = {2210-4224},
year = {2015},
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journal = {Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions},
volume = {17},
pages = {183–198},
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abstract = {This paper highlights the hitherto unrecognised role of ‘alternative’ places in protecting different forms of sustainability innovation. The paper uses the concept of an alternative milieu to illustrate how a geographically localised concentration of countercultural practices, institutions and networks can create socio-cognitive ‘niche’ protection for sustainability experiments. An alternative milieu creates protection for the emergence of novelties by (i) creating ontological and epistemological multiplicity; (ii) sustain- ing productive spatial imaginaries; and (iii) supporting ontological security. These different dimensions of protection are explored with reference to an in-depth, empirical case study of Totnes in the United Kingdom. The paper concludes with some reflections on the theoretical implications of this research for the theorising of niche protection and for the geographies of innovation more generally, along with some recommendations for future areas of enquiry.},
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This paper highlights the hitherto unrecognised role of ‘alternative’ places in protecting different forms of sustainability innovation. The paper uses the concept of an alternative milieu to illustrate how a geographically localised concentration of countercultural practices, institutions and networks can create socio-cognitive ‘niche’ protection for sustainability experiments. An alternative milieu creates protection for the emergence of novelties by (i) creating ontological and epistemological multiplicity; (ii) sustain- ing productive spatial imaginaries; and (iii) supporting ontological security. These different dimensions of protection are explored with reference to an in-depth, empirical case study of Totnes in the United Kingdom. The paper concludes with some reflections on the theoretical implications of this research for the theorising of niche protection and for the geographies of innovation more generally, along with some recommendations for future areas of enquiry.
2013
Seyfang, Gill; Longhurst, Noel
Desperately seeking niches: Grassroots innovations and niche development in the community currency field Journal Article
In: Global Environmental Change-Human and Policy Dimensions, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 881–891, 2013, ISSN: 0959-3780.
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title = {Desperately seeking niches: Grassroots innovations and niche development in the community currency field},
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doi = {10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.02.007},
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year = {2013},
date = {2013-10-01},
journal = {Global Environmental Change-Human and Policy Dimensions},
volume = {23},
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pages = {881–891},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {The sustainability transitions literature seeks to explain the conditions under which technological innovations can diffuse and disrupt existing socio-technical systems through the successful scaling up of experimental ‘niches’; but recent research on ‘grassroots innovations’ argues that civil society is a promising but under-researched site of innovation for sustainability, albeit one with very different characteristics to the market-based innovation normally considered in the literature. This paper aims to address that research gap by exploring the relevance of niche development theories in a civil society context. To do this, we examine a growing grassroots innovation – the international field of community currencies – which comprises a range of new socio-technical configurations of systems of exchange which have emerged from civil society over the last 30 years, intended to provide more environmentally and socially sustainable forms of money and finance. We draw on new empirical research from an international study of these initiatives comprising primary and secondary data and documentary sources, elite interviews and participant observation in the field. We describe the global diffusion of community currencies, and then conduct a niche analysis to evaluate the utility of niche theories for explaining the development of the community currency movement. We find that some niche-building processes identified in the existing literature are relevant in a grassroots context: the importance of building networks, managing expectations and the significance of external ‘landscape’ pressures, particularly at the level of national-type. However, our findings suggest that existing theories do not fully capture the complexity of this type of innovation: we find a diverse field addressing a range of societal systems (money, welfare, education, health, consumerism), and showing increasing fragmentation (as opposed to consolidation and standardisation); furthermore, there is little evidence of formalised learning taking place but this has not hampered movement growth. We conclude that grassroots innovations develop and diffuse in quite different ways to conventional innovations, and that niche theories require adaptation to the civil society context.},
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The sustainability transitions literature seeks to explain the conditions under which technological innovations can diffuse and disrupt existing socio-technical systems through the successful scaling up of experimental ‘niches’; but recent research on ‘grassroots innovations’ argues that civil society is a promising but under-researched site of innovation for sustainability, albeit one with very different characteristics to the market-based innovation normally considered in the literature. This paper aims to address that research gap by exploring the relevance of niche development theories in a civil society context. To do this, we examine a growing grassroots innovation – the international field of community currencies – which comprises a range of new socio-technical configurations of systems of exchange which have emerged from civil society over the last 30 years, intended to provide more environmentally and socially sustainable forms of money and finance. We draw on new empirical research from an international study of these initiatives comprising primary and secondary data and documentary sources, elite interviews and participant observation in the field. We describe the global diffusion of community currencies, and then conduct a niche analysis to evaluate the utility of niche theories for explaining the development of the community currency movement. We find that some niche-building processes identified in the existing literature are relevant in a grassroots context: the importance of building networks, managing expectations and the significance of external ‘landscape’ pressures, particularly at the level of national-type. However, our findings suggest that existing theories do not fully capture the complexity of this type of innovation: we find a diverse field addressing a range of societal systems (money, welfare, education, health, consumerism), and showing increasing fragmentation (as opposed to consolidation and standardisation); furthermore, there is little evidence of formalised learning taking place but this has not hampered movement growth. We conclude that grassroots innovations develop and diffuse in quite different ways to conventional innovations, and that niche theories require adaptation to the civil society context.
North, Peter; Longhurst, Noel
Grassroots localisation?: The scalar potential of and limits of the ‘transition’ approach to climate change and resource constraint Journal Article
In: Urban Studies, vol. 50, no. 7, pp. 1423–1438, 2013, ISSN: 0042-0980.
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This paper engages with the progressive politics of climate change and resource constraint developed by the Transition ‘movement’ which looks to develop a positive local politics of the transition to a low carbon economy and society. At the heart of this politics is a vision of economic localisation rooted in a geographical imaginary of market towns with agricultural hinterlands. Consequently, the question of how the Transition model can be applied in urban settings has not been clear, leading to the implicit assumption that urban Transition initiatives are more complex and difficult. In contrast, this paper argues that the plasticity of Transition politics means that, in some cases, an urban context might be more productive for the development of Transition initiatives because it allows for a greater diversity of political action as well as providing a density of networks and resources that can be critical for the survival of grassroots interventions.
Seyfang, Gill; Longhurst, Noel
Growing green money? Mapping community currencies for sustainable development Journal Article
In: Ecological Economics, vol. 86, pp. 65–77, 2013, ISSN: 0921-8009.
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title = {Growing green money? Mapping community currencies for sustainable development},
author = {Gill Seyfang and Noel Longhurst},
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abstract = {Parallel sustainable monetary systems are being developed by civil society groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), informed by ecological economics perspectives on development, value, economic scale and growth, and responding to the unsustainability of current global financial systems. These parallel systems of exchange (or community currencies) are designed to promote sustainable development by localising economic development, building social capital and substituting for material consumption, valuing work which is marginalised in conventional labour markets, and challenging the growth-based monetary system. However, this international movement towards community-based ecological economic practices, is under-researched. This paper presents new empirical evidence from the first international study of the scope and character of community currencies. It identifies the diversity, scale, geography and development trajectory of these initiatives, discusses the implications of these findings for efforts to achieve sustainable development, and identifies future research needs, to help harness the sustainability potential of these initiatives. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.},
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Parallel sustainable monetary systems are being developed by civil society groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), informed by ecological economics perspectives on development, value, economic scale and growth, and responding to the unsustainability of current global financial systems. These parallel systems of exchange (or community currencies) are designed to promote sustainable development by localising economic development, building social capital and substituting for material consumption, valuing work which is marginalised in conventional labour markets, and challenging the growth-based monetary system. However, this international movement towards community-based ecological economic practices, is under-researched. This paper presents new empirical evidence from the first international study of the scope and character of community currencies. It identifies the diversity, scale, geography and development trajectory of these initiatives, discusses the implications of these findings for efforts to achieve sustainable development, and identifies future research needs, to help harness the sustainability potential of these initiatives. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.
2012
Bucio, Andres; Longhurst, Noel; Graugaard, Jeppe
Energy Densities: Why do they matter for Sustainability Transitions, 3S working paper 2012-08: Science, Society and Sustainability Research Group, Univeristy of East Anglia Technical Report
University of East Anglia 2012.
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Longhurst, Noel; Chilvers, Jason
Interdiscriplinary in Transition? A Technical Report into the interdisciplinary of the Transition Pathways to a Low Carbon Economy Consortium, Science, Society and Sustainability Research Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich Book
University of East Anglia, 2012.
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Chilvers, Jason; Longhurst, Noel
Participation, Politics and Actor Dynamics in Low Carbon Energy Transitions Book
University of East Anglia, 2012.
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2011
Hargreaves, Tom; Haxeltine, Alex; Longhurst, Noel; Seyfang, Gill
Sustainability transitions from the bottom-up: Civil society, the multi-level perspective and practice theory Technical Report
Centre for Soc. Econ. Res. on the Global Environment no. 1, 2011.
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year = {2011},
date = {2011-12-01},
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abstract = {This paper aims to build on an emerging trend in sustainability transitions research towards better understanding the potential roles played by civil society groups in transitions alongside state and market actors. Through the use of two empirical examples (a local and organic food producer cooperative called 'Eostre Organics' in East Anglia, UK, and the pro-environmental behaviour change programme 'EcoTeams'), the paper argues that whilst the Multi-Level Perspective on sustainability transitions is a valuable analytical tool to help conceptualise and distinguish between different kinds of civil society activity, its focus on single regimes and on novelty rather than normality means it cannot adequately capture the range or scope of civil society action. Here, we suggest that recent developments in Social Practice Theory, which explicitly address these concerns, offer a way to broaden and improve analyses. This leads us to reexamine a framework originally presented by Elizabeth Shove which draws attention to the connections and crossovers between these two theoretical approaches. The paper closes by exploring the gaps, limitations and implications of this framework for future research on the role of civil society groups in sustainability transitions.},
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This paper aims to build on an emerging trend in sustainability transitions research towards better understanding the potential roles played by civil society groups in transitions alongside state and market actors. Through the use of two empirical examples (a local and organic food producer cooperative called ‘Eostre Organics’ in East Anglia, UK, and the pro-environmental behaviour change programme ‘EcoTeams’), the paper argues that whilst the Multi-Level Perspective on sustainability transitions is a valuable analytical tool to help conceptualise and distinguish between different kinds of civil society activity, its focus on single regimes and on novelty rather than normality means it cannot adequately capture the range or scope of civil society action. Here, we suggest that recent developments in Social Practice Theory, which explicitly address these concerns, offer a way to broaden and improve analyses. This leads us to reexamine a framework originally presented by Elizabeth Shove which draws attention to the connections and crossovers between these two theoretical approaches. The paper closes by exploring the gaps, limitations and implications of this framework for future research on the role of civil society groups in sustainability transitions.
Saltmarsh, Nick; Meldrum, Josiah; Longhurst, Noel
The impact of community supported agriculture Book
2011.
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abstract = {Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a radical approach to the production and supply of food that builds strong, close and mutually beneficial partnerships between communities and producers. Though still a niche element of the local food sector and representing a tiny part of the food system as a whole, CSA offers a powerful approach to reconnecting people and agriculture. It is increasingly attractive as an answer to popular concerns about sustainability, resilience and transparency in the food system. As it grows more rapidly, albeit from a small base, CSA has potential to play a greater role in the provision of sustainable food and to deliver other benefits, including the increased wellbeing of participants, skills development, and provision of local employment and volunteering opportunities. Our evaluation of the impact of CSA in England finds that at least 80 CSA initiatives are providing multiple benefits to thousands of members, their communities, local economies and the environment.},
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Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a radical approach to the production and supply of food that builds strong, close and mutually beneficial partnerships between communities and producers. Though still a niche element of the local food sector and representing a tiny part of the food system as a whole, CSA offers a powerful approach to reconnecting people and agriculture. It is increasingly attractive as an answer to popular concerns about sustainability, resilience and transparency in the food system. As it grows more rapidly, albeit from a small base, CSA has potential to play a greater role in the provision of sustainable food and to deliver other benefits, including the increased wellbeing of participants, skills development, and provision of local employment and volunteering opportunities. Our evaluation of the impact of CSA in England finds that at least 80 CSA initiatives are providing multiple benefits to thousands of members, their communities, local economies and the environment.
Longhurst, Noel; Seyfang, Gill
Complementary Currencies: The state of the art Journal Article
In: International Journal of Community Currency Research, vol. 15, no. D, 2011.
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