Sustainability Transitions: A Survey of an Emerging Field of Research

Abstract

Abstract

With the aim of achieving a sustainable future, the field of transition studies is gathering increasing attention. Particularly, a new research area dealing with “sustainability transitions” has gained ground and reached an output of 70–120 academic articles annually.

In this survey, by carrying out a analysis of fundamental approaches to study transitions (in particular sustainability transitions) we aim at identifying the academic contours of this evolving field of research by highlighting relations among well-known strands of research and by providing some general criticism as well as strengths and contributions from transition research approaches to provide an impetus towards further research in this field.