Applying Sustainability Transition Research in Social Work tackling Major Societal Challenge of Social Inclusion

Project Information

ASTRA

Grant agreement ID: 955518

DOI

10.3030/955518

Project closed

EC signature date 13 August 2020

Start date 1 October 2020

End date 31 December 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 3 960 859,44

EU contribution

€ 3 960 859,44

Coordinated by

JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ASTRA (Applying Sustainability Transition Research in Social Work tackling Major Societal Challenge of Social Inclusion)

Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ASTRA research and training project addresses the major societal challenge of social inclusion of vulnerable groups, especially young people in precarious situations, people with a migration background and vulnerable local communities in Europe. The most promising novelty of this research is to investigate, how inputs of transdisciplinary sustainability transitions research can help to promote social inclusion. This new combination of social work and sustainability transitions research creates a new scientific research area. Such new thinking is important for the society, since it is evident that the social inclusion of the vulnerable groups cannot be effectively achieved without considering its deep interconnectivity with environmental and economic sustainability. We follow the overall scientific argument of sustainability transitions research which says that sustainable social foundation of human life can only develop in an inherent interdependence with the overall ecological boundaries and regenerative and distributive economy.

The overall shared objective of the ASTRA research is to explore in 15 individual research projects of the employed early-stage researchers, how transdisciplinary inputs of sustainability transition research can provide relevant and effective new tools for social work in promoting social inclusion. The second overall scientific objective is to contribute to the new emerging research area. This means that deeper understanding of the complex interconnectivity of social inclusion and environmental, economic and social sustainability is needed. The inputs of sustainability transitions research to be investigated in the context of social work promoting social inclusion are for example: the usage of natural and built environment for human well-being, nature-based activities and sustainable models of housing and food policies (environmental sustainability), the opportunities of new economic models such as circular, social and solidarity economy (economic sustainability), ecosocial innovations, contributive and environmental justice and participation of vulnerable communities (social sustainability). Finally, the third objective of ASTRA is to provide new policy- and practice-relevant knowledge for developing the sustainability transitions of social work and policies for social inclusion. These will in turn contribute to the sustainability transition of societies, too.

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

During the first half of the project, the overall work carried out in ASTRA has in the first hand focused on establishing well-organised management and structure of the project including the recruitment of the fifteen early-stage researchers and enabling for their research the best possible development. For the second, the focus has been on joint learning and conceptual-theoretical development of the new transdisciplinary thinking and how it can be applied in the individual research. The training required by the variety of doctoral programs of the respective universities has also been an essential part of the work done during the first half the project. Further, this period also includes the organisation, ethical proofs, and concrete begin of the empirical data collection of the fifteen individual research projects.

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)

As scientific outputs of the period in concern, ASTRA can provide an initial new data base, combining state of the art of relevant transdisciplinary sustainability transitions research and social work. This new data base consists of fifteen drafts or already submitted literature review type of scientific articles or corresponding chapter for a monograph type of dissertation. While putting this first part of done research together, a joint picture emerges about knowledge produced yet in sustainability transitions research, which is relevant for promoting social inclusion.

At the time being it can be concluded that a) the transdisciplinary research of sustainability transitions continues to grow in many disciplinary contexts and social work is in most cases regarded as relevant disciplinary partner, b) yet, social work issues and inclusive society are not often explicitly considered as part of the sustainability transitions research, c) the inputs of sustainability transitions research which could be identified as being applicable for social work are concrete empirical-practical tools and concepts which can improve social inclusion. As concrete examples we can mention nature-based interventions improving well-being, inclusive models of circular economy, and ecosocial community interventions. However, they are not just single methods or tools but also inspirations for new societal thinking, which can open up further impacts and wider societal implications. This may emerge out of the new dialogue between the research fields of sustainability transitions and social work. First, transdisciplinary sustainability transitions research promotes new thinking, which critically reflects social work’s own professional and disciplinary structures, often mirrowing the bureaucratic-managerialistic power structures and unsustainable economy of society. This may open perspectives and concrete methods for a new type of social work which is able to promote social inclusion and justice more effectively. On the other hand, the new disciplinary dialogue may have impact on the transdisciplinary sustainability transitions research, too. Social work inputs may strengthen for instance the awareness of issues of social justice and environmental justice, the contributive role of vulnerable groups themselves in sustainability pathways, and the insight that sustainable income structures for all require more space for new type of local and global economies.

The logo of ASTRA