Governing Technology for Sustainability
Murphy, J. (ed.) (2007) Governing Technology for Sustainability, Earthscan, London. (224 pages)
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Back Cover
In a world of growing complexity and dwindling resources, the relationship between technology and sustainability is a pressing issue of concern at the highest levels. This book improves our understanding by examining the ways that people, technology and governance shape each other with implications for sustainability. It is the first book to link technology studies and governance research to this problem.
Contributions from leading environmental social scientists are included, with each chapter reporting on new research and tackling complex, but vital issues. Drawing on examples such as wave and tidal power, wind power, micro-generation, community waste recycling and eco-housing, the book provides powerful new insights into the governance of technology for sustainability. A detailed introduction and conclusion discuss existing research directions and identify the contribution that the book makes in advancing our understanding of the people-technology-governace nexus and its implications for sustainability.
This is essential reading for all those in academia, government and industry working at the critical interface between how we develop, deploy and govern technology in the pursuit of sustainability.
Contributions from leading environmental social scientists are included, with each chapter reporting on new research and tackling complex, but vital issues. Drawing on examples such as wave and tidal power, wind power, micro-generation, community waste recycling and eco-housing, the book provides powerful new insights into the governance of technology for sustainability. A detailed introduction and conclusion discuss existing research directions and identify the contribution that the book makes in advancing our understanding of the people-technology-governace nexus and its implications for sustainability.
This is essential reading for all those in academia, government and industry working at the critical interface between how we develop, deploy and govern technology in the pursuit of sustainability.
Contents
SECTION I INTRODUCTION
Ch 1. Sustainability: Understanding People, Technology and Governance, Joseph Murphy
SECTION II PEOPLE AND SUSTAINABILITY: APPRECIATING MULTIPLE IDENTITIES
Ch 2. Decoding Governance: A Study of Purchase Processes for Sustainable Technologies, Seonaidh McDonald, Panayiota Alevizou, Caroline Oates, Kumju Hwang and William Young
Ch 3. People Centred Eco-Design: Consumer Adoption and Use of Low and Zero Carbon Products and Systems, Robin Roy, Stephen Potter and Sally Caird
Ch 4. Energy Citizenship: Psychological Aspects of Evolution in Sustainable Energy Technologies, Patrick Devine-Wright
SECTION III TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY: CONTEXTUALIZED ACCOUNTS
Ch 5. Governance Lessons from Green Niches: The Case of Eco-Housing, Adrian Smith
Ch 6. Micro-Generation: A Disruptive Innovation for the UK Energy System?, Raphael Sauter and Jim Watson
Ch 7. The Rationale for Policy Interventions from an Innovation Systems Perspective, Tim Foxon
SECTION IV GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY: CONSENSUS AND CONFLICT
Ch 8. Local Governance of Public Services: The Role of Partnerships in Sustainable Waste Management, Rachel Slater
Ch 9. Wind Power, Governance and Networks, David Toke
Ch 10. Multi-Level Governance and Energy Policy: Renewable Energy in Scotland, Mark Winskel
SECTION V CONCLUSION
Ch 11. Governing Technology for Sustainability, Joseph Murphy
Ch 1. Sustainability: Understanding People, Technology and Governance, Joseph Murphy
SECTION II PEOPLE AND SUSTAINABILITY: APPRECIATING MULTIPLE IDENTITIES
Ch 2. Decoding Governance: A Study of Purchase Processes for Sustainable Technologies, Seonaidh McDonald, Panayiota Alevizou, Caroline Oates, Kumju Hwang and William Young
Ch 3. People Centred Eco-Design: Consumer Adoption and Use of Low and Zero Carbon Products and Systems, Robin Roy, Stephen Potter and Sally Caird
Ch 4. Energy Citizenship: Psychological Aspects of Evolution in Sustainable Energy Technologies, Patrick Devine-Wright
SECTION III TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY: CONTEXTUALIZED ACCOUNTS
Ch 5. Governance Lessons from Green Niches: The Case of Eco-Housing, Adrian Smith
Ch 6. Micro-Generation: A Disruptive Innovation for the UK Energy System?, Raphael Sauter and Jim Watson
Ch 7. The Rationale for Policy Interventions from an Innovation Systems Perspective, Tim Foxon
SECTION IV GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY: CONSENSUS AND CONFLICT
Ch 8. Local Governance of Public Services: The Role of Partnerships in Sustainable Waste Management, Rachel Slater
Ch 9. Wind Power, Governance and Networks, David Toke
Ch 10. Multi-Level Governance and Energy Policy: Renewable Energy in Scotland, Mark Winskel
SECTION V CONCLUSION
Ch 11. Governing Technology for Sustainability, Joseph Murphy
Reviews
“The [Economic and Social Research Council's] Sustainable Technologies Program (STP) ran from 2002-2006 with the objective “…to advance understanding of what makes technologies sustainable and the roles technological and behavioral change can play in achieving more sustainable futures.” It consisted of 13 projects and 2 fellowships. All projects have been of high academic quality, and the academic quality of some of them was excellent. Moreover, many projects were highly innovative, and most were highly interdisciplinary... All PIs valued... efforts to create communication among the projects in the form of workshops, a consumption network, and a governance network which led to the book edited by Joseph Murphy. This resulted in the creation of a virtual network in the UK of researchers who know each other and each other’s work...The appearance of Governing Technology for Sustainability is certainly a great success of the STP, and it brings together a lot of empirical work with a theoretical framework on governance.” (From the internal review of STP conducted by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council)
