The aim of this joint session organized during the 3rd ISA Forum is to explore the various ways in which eco-innovations are studied at the intersection of environmental sociology with the sociology of science and technology. The session invites scholars who improve our understanding about the technical resolution of environmental issues. By so doing, we would like to open new paths for analysing the production, the adoption and the institutionalisation of ecoinnovations, but also the mobilization of skills and knowledge.

Argument

Since the first occurrence of the term in 1996 (Fussler and James, 1996), eco-innovations have exhorted a cross-disciplinary knowledge production. The environmental challenges give rise to scientific, technological and organisational innovations. These are said to be “clean”, sometimes even “smart” in respect of their ecological performances. Their resonance is noticeable among the levers to activate with a view to the sustainable development of current societies. Does it reflect a renewed relationship with the governance of nature? The challenges involve a technical dimension that relies heavily on exact sciences, but they also refer to political, economic, social and territorial processes that receive increasing attention from and for sociology.

The aim of this joint session organized during the 3rd ISA Forum (Vienna, Austria, 10-14 July 2016) is to explore the various ways in which eco-innovations are studied at the intersection of environmental sociology with the sociology of science and technology. The session invites scholars who improve our understanding about the technical resolution of environmental issues. By so doing, we would like to open new paths for analysing the production, the adoption and the institutionalisation of eco-innovations, but also the mobilization of skills and knowledge. How are sciences and technologies engaged in solving the environmental problems? What are the visions of human behaviour, of nature and risks that underlie the roles assigned to technology? To what extent do these different factors contribute to the framing of practices and devices? The session seeks to host rich, empirically informed contributions that address these questions.

Submission process

The abstract text cannot contain more than 300 words and must be submitted in English or French.

Only abstracts submitted online no later than

September 30, 2015 24:00 GMT

will be considered in the selection process : https://isaconf.confex.com/isaconf/forum2016/cfp.cgi

The author is required to choose the joint session RC23 « Sociology of Science and Technology » & RC24 « Environment and Society » in which s/he wishes the abstract to be included.

In accordance with the Research Committees « Sociology of Science and Technology » (RC23) and « Environment and Society » (RC24), all authors will receive email notification of acceptance by 30 November, 2015.

More information about the Third ISA Forum of Sociology is available through the website : http://www.isasociology.org/forum2016

Session Organizer 

• Sophie NEMOZ, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin, sophie.nemoz@gmail.com

Program Coordinators

• RC23 Sociology of Science and Technology

  • Alice ABREU, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, alicepabreu@gmail.com
  • Nadia ASHEULOVA, Institute of History of Science and Technology, Russia, asheulova_n@bk.ru

• RC24 Environment and Society

  • Koichi HASEGAWA, Tohoku University, Japan, k-hase@m.tohoku.ac.jp