Towards a theory of endings in innovation studies

Project Information

ENDINGS

Grant agreement ID: 101042247

DOI

10.3030/101042247

EC signature date 18 March 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 1 482 076,00

EU contribution

€ 1 482 076,00

Coordinated by

LUNDS UNIVERSITET
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ENDINGS (Towards a theory of endings in innovation studies)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Because innovations are important to achieve sustainable development, substantial investments have been made in innovation research. Yet, innovations often prove insufficient for replacing established production and consumption practices. In ENDINGS, we aim to overcome this innovation bias by studying how existing socio-technical systems and their respective knowledge bases end – or not. In fact, evidence suggests that it is more likely for existing systems to endure than to disappear. Still, we have a rather limited understanding of how decline and de-institutionalization unfold. This is an important research gap in several disciplines that needs
to be addressed to tackle the transformations needed to achieve a more sustainable society.

Combining theoretical insights from various social sciences and humanities, we study the epistemic motors of industries by developing an analytical framework that 1) introduces a knowledge-based conceptualization of socio-technical systems; 2) differentiates between different kinds of knowledge and their prevalence in certain industries; 3) specifies the ways in which knowledge is maintained and reproduced; 4)identifies the mechanisms that lead to the erosion and extinction of knowledge; 5) substantiates endings as a precondition for innovation and systemic change.

We apply this framework in comparative cross-case analyses of three industries (energy, ICT, craft) in three geographical contexts (Germany, UK, Sweden). Based on the findings, we will formulate an original, interdisciplinary theory of endings that understands innovation as only one part of the knowledge life cycle. Such a novel perspective will open new research avenues for empirical analysis that will significantly advance research on innovation and sustainability transitions.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

We are conducting in-depth literature reviews on the topic of knowledge as well as endings, including works from the sociology of knowledge, science and technology studies, ignorance studies, and heritage studies. Based on this, we are currently designing our empirical research, starting with the case of the "rise and fall and rise again of nuclear power in Sweden" as well as "community-based mining heritage in the UK". In 2024, we have also organized an international and interdisciplinary workshop on the topic of endings at the Institute of Advanced Study in Paris. We identified and mobilized over twenty scholars from different social sciences and humanities that have worked in one way or another on the topic of endings. Research included themes such as the curation of decay, erosion of democracy, economic modelling of nuclear phase-out, unmaking of capitalism, and de-growth. In addition, we held several special sessions on decline at international conferences and have been awarded a thematic group on destabilisation and phase-out in the Sustainability Transition Research Network (STRN). Moreover, we are part of the editorial team of the new book series at Elgar on destabilisation, discontinuation, and decline. We are aiming to continue this community building on the topic of endings over the course of the next years.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Our research has promising potential to illuminate the power of using endings as a hopeful development horizon, potentially replacing some of the innovation-focused discourses currently dominant in academia and practice. We observe considerable interest from policy makers as well as academics from different disciplines to further explore the potential of engaging with the question of how to end things. We are engaging with communities of practice and policy makers, and have identified a clear need for more spaces, time, and resources to do so in the future.