A new version of this entry is available:
Loading...
Article
2025
Connecting resonance theory with social-ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self-world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations
Connecting resonance theory with social-ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self-world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations
Abstract (English)
Relationships and interactions between humans and their environment play an important role in sustainability transformations. However, their conceptualization remains a big challenge in current social-ecological research. We propose resonance theory by the German sociologist Hartmut Rosa as a fruitful framework to advance social-ecological thinking. Resonance theory investigates the quality of the relationships between self and world and scrutinizes their relevance for transformations.
To illustrate the potentials of resonance theory, we use a vignette approach to cases of landscape stewardship initiatives in the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve in Germany.
In distinguishing between self and world and highlighting the role of relationships, resonance theory brings ontological and epistemological clarity, while overcoming a strict dichotomy between social and ecological. We find that resonance theory provides a much needed framework to describe how system-wide transformations emerge from interactions and out of relationships at the individual level.
We argue that resonance theory contributes to social-ecological systems thinking by adding the notion of uncontrollability in transformations and shifting the debate on agency towards relationships.
Synthesis and applications: This paper demonstrates the meaningfulness of relational paradigms for real-world transformations in theory and practice.
File is subject to an embargo until
This is a correction to:
A correction to this entry is available:
This is a new version of:
Notes
Publication license
Publication series
Published in
People and nature, 7 (2025), 2, 516-529.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10777.
ISSN: 2575-8314
Other version
Faculty
Institute
Examination date
Supervisor
Edition / version
Citation
DOI
ISSN
ISBN
Language
English
Publisher
Publisher place
Classification (DDC)
300 Social sciences, sociology, and anthropology
Original object
Standardized keywords (GND)
Sustainable Development Goals
BibTeX
@article{Brossette2025,
url = {https://hohpublica.uni-hohenheim.de/handle/123456789/17353},
doi = {10.1002/pan3.10777},
author = {Brossette, Florian and Bieling, Claudia},
title = {Connecting resonance theory with social-ecological thinking: Conceptualizing self-world relationships in the context of sustainability transformations},
journal = {People and nature},
year = {2025},
volume = {7},
number = {2},
pages = {516--529},
}