Just Transitions Group
Group Description: The Just Transitions Group explores transition processes related to inequality. We focus on the (unintended) consequences that different transitions have on social and economic inequalities, aiming to investigate the mechanisms that lead to, and perpetuate, inequality. By synthesising a diverse set of disciplinary approaches, we are developing a transdisciplinary analytical tool for understanding societal transitions, with the goal of informing the development of policies/interventions to reduce inequality. We will utilise the Coleman’s Boat framework (1990) which ensures our collective understanding and interdisciplinary alignment, and to aid in analytically connecting societal transitions at the macro-level and behavioural change at the micro-level. Our framework will provide a platform for analysis of societal transitions across all levels of society and across different transition contexts.
Goal: Our overarching goal is to develop an analytical tool that is applicable across multiple different transition contexts and can be used across multiple disciplines (such as social, economic and behavioural sciences). The framework will attempt to map, on the abstract level, the processes that drive inequality, informed by expertise from multiple disciplines (as represented in our team). By focusing on “just transitions”, we seek to understand inequality within and across specific contexts and levels of analysis, driving targeted research and analysis can inform social and economic policy.
Outcome: We will develop an analytical tool to map the ways in which transition processes produce increasing—or decreasing—inequality. Our tool will provide a platform for analysis across diverse levels of society and different transition contexts, allowing us to identify the mechanisms that catalyse certain transitions and pinpoint the factors that produce inequality, informed by expertise from multiple disciplines. This tool is important for three reasons:
- It prioritises achieving a just transition, by considering all relevant processes, stakeholders, and side effects that might lead to deviations from intended transition processes (i.e., leading to “unjust” transitions and unintended consequences)
- It establishes a micro foundation with adaptable assumptions that vary based on contextual cues as well as desires, beliefs, and opportunities. This foundation will provide the opportunity to integrate insights from various theoretical perspectives and disciplines and provides a circular model of how transitions may evolve.
- It uses behavioural theory to diagnose the context, highlighting its importance in understanding transitions. By applying the Coleman’s Boat framework, we can link individual behaviours to macro-level outcomes, providing a structured approach to analysing these transitions.
Deliverables: First, we will produce a theoretical paper that proposes our transdisciplinary framework. This will be followed by empirical research papers that utilise several distinct methodological paradigms (across different primary disciplines and transition contexts) that will test and refine our theoretical model. This framework, along with any empirical findings, could inspire the creation of a ‘white paper’ or engagement with relevant stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, NGOs), as well as opportunities for securing additional research funding.
We are a team of social and behavioural scientists from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. This makes us uniquely positioned to examine the transitions related to inequality at various levels of society. Our team members (presented in alphabetical order), are:
Neda Aramipour (Sociology, Postdoc, University of Groningen)
Islam Borinca (Psychology, Assistant Professor, University of Groningen)
Sarahanne Field (Pedagogy, Assistant Professor, University of Groningen)
Radhika Gupta (Socio-cultural Anthropology, Assistant Professor, Leiden University)
Claudia Kitz (Psychology, Postdoc, University of Groningen)
Cristhian Martinez (Psychology, Assistant Professor, University of Groningen)
Daniel Redhead (Evolutionary Anthropology/Behavioural Ecology, Assistant Professor, University of Groningen)
Elliot Sharpe (Psychology, Assistant Professor, University of Groningen)
Thomas Teekens (Sociology, Postdoc, University of Groningen)
Marc-Lluís Vives (Psychology, Assistant Professor, Leiden University)