Stephen McGrail's blog

Investigating and enhancing sustainability transitions and related interventions

  • About me
  • Research statement
  • Key themes and publications
  • Teaching and training

anticipatory action

The ‘futurity paradox’ and the future-oriented nature of sustainability-related action

October 28, 2015 / Leave a Comment

Recently scholars of political economy and in economic sociology have paid renewed attention to the question of how economic actors cope with the problem of a fundamentally uncertain future. There have been increasing calls to put – as stated by Braun (2015) – “the future-oriented nature of economic discourses and practices at the centre of … [Read more…]

Posted in: Innovation models, PhD research, Sustainability issues Tagged: anticipatory action, innovation, uncertainty

Anthony Giddens on the rise of futures thinking and risk management

March 21, 2014 / 1 Comment

It is commonly argued that modern Western cultures have a bias towards short-termism and the present (rather than adequately considering the future). I was recently prompted to re-engage with Anthony Giddens analysis of how engagement with the future has evolved, which challenges some of these prevailing these views. Giddens is an influential British sociologist who … [Read more…]

Posted in: Anticipatory action, Futures practices, PhD research Tagged: anticipatory action, Giddens, PhD

Biosecurity and sustainability interventions: similarities and cross-learnings?

February 1, 2013 / Leave a Comment

It’s been really exciting and interesting to discover the scholarship examining the emerging field of “biosecurity interventions”. My PhD has given me the time and space to dive in and explore some new material, such as by anthropologist Andrew Lakoff. Lakoff has been examining what he terms ‘anticipatory interventions’ in biological threats and the use … [Read more…]

Posted in: Anticipatory action, PhD research, Sustainability issues Tagged: anticipatory action, biosecurity, PhD

Recent Comments

  • Zachary King on Reflecting on my personal journey – from ‘foresight’ practices to the sociology of prospection?
  • Chris Thomas should be crucified on Review of Inheritors of the Earth: How Nature is Thriving in an Age of Extinction by Chris Thomas
  • Stephen McGrail on New theory for making sense of change and stability: ‘strategic action fields’
  • Stephen Sillett on New theory for making sense of change and stability: ‘strategic action fields’
  • lemuel on New theory for making sense of change and stability: ‘strategic action fields’

Tags

anticipatory action anticipatory interventions applied foresight Australia climate change complex systems theory economics emerging technologies Emma Marris energy Evaluation Expectations field theory foresight foresight practitioner futures research futures thinking impact assessment innovation institutional change Institutional theory Knowledge practices markets Moral psychology nanotechnology Personal philosophy PhD PhD research philosophy of science prospective practices psychology renewables scenario planning Scenarios Science and Technology Studies Social psychology sociology Sustainability sustainability impasses sustainability science sustainability transitions transition management transitions uncertainty worst case scenarios

Archives

  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012

Categories

  • Anticipatory action
  • Climate change
  • Complexity
  • Environmental economics
  • Facilitation
  • Futures practices
  • Innovation models
  • Knowledge practices
  • PhD research
  • Pragmatism
  • Sustainability issues
  • Sustainability science
  • Uncategorized
  • Visions

Blogroll

  • Alex Burns
  • Alex Steffen
  • Chris Riedy
  • Daniel Little – Understanding Society
  • Ken Caldeira's blog
  • Les Robinson – Changeology

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2019 Stephen McGrail's blog.

Me WordPress Theme by themehall.com