Registration ends 07.4.2026 at 23:59 h

This seminar will explore the governance mechanisms that drive sustainability transformations – intended and relatively deep societal changes that significantly improve sustainability in one or more areas. Prominent examples are the ongoing energy transition; transformations of production and consumption patterns; or in (global) agri-food-chains. We will discuss theoretical frameworks, key governance actors, multi-level governance structures, and review empirical evidence, such as through real-world case studies. The seminar will engage students in critical reflections on the roles of government, civil society, and the private sector in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Suggested key readings:
– Derwort, P., Jager, N., & Newig, J. (2021). How to Explain Major Policy Change Towards Sustainability? Bringing Together the Multiple Streams Framework and the Multilevel Perspective on Socio-Technical Transitions to Explore the German “Energiewende”. Policy Studies Journal, 1-29. doi:10.1111/psj.12428
– Herweg, N., Zahariadis, N., & Zohlnhöfer, R. (2018). The Multiple Streams Framework: Foundations, Refinements, and Empirical Applications. In C. M. Weible & P. A. Sabatier (Eds.), Theories of the policy process (4th ed., pp. 17-53). New York, NY: Westview Press.
– Newig, J., Derwort, P., & Jager, N. W. (2019). Sustainability through institutional failure and decline? Archetypes of productive pathways. Ecology and Society, 24(1), 18. doi:10.5751/ES-10700-240118
– Novalia, W., & Malekpour, S. (2020). Theorising the role of crisis for transformative adaptation. Environmental Science and Policy, 112, 361-370. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2020.07.009
– Schot, J.; Kanger, L. (2018): Deep transitions: Emergence, acceleration, stabilization and directionality. Research Policy 47: 1045-1059
– Sewerin, S.; Cashore, B.; Howlett, M. (2022): New pathways to paradigm change in public policy: combining insights from policy design, mix and feedback. Policy & Politics 50(3): 442-459.
– Termeer, K.; Dewulf, A.; Biesbroek, R. (2024): Three archetypical governance pathways for transformative change toward sustainability; Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability.

By the end of the seminar, students will:
– Understand the concept of sustainability transformation and the governance challenges it presents.
– Analyze the role of governance in steering societal change towards sustainability.
– Evaluate different frameworks for governance and policy transformation (e.g. Multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions, the Multiple-Streams Framework, or the Depth-Scope-Pace framework).
– Explore the role of policy instruments, institutions, and stakeholder engagement in governance for sustainability transformation.
– Apply theoretical knowledge to real-world cases.

Further information on teaching evaluation: https://www.leuphana.de/en/teaching/quality-management/feedback-instruments.html