To Örebro University

The climate crisis is both ecological and socio-political, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations. Transformative change toward sustainable lifestyles requires understanding not only individual behaviors but also the structural, social, and affective conditions that enable or constrain action. Drawing on Margaret Archer's theory of reflexivity in the context of behavioral change, this article analyzes 401 narrative interviews conducted in 13 European countries. We identify key enablers and barriers to sustainable behavior at individual and collective levels, emphasizing the interplay of agency, structural constraints, social relationships, and hope. Our findings highlight the uneven distribution of capacity for behavioral change, particularly among marginalized groups, and underscore the importance of relational, affective, and institutional infrastructures in supporting sufficiency-oriented transformations. These insights advance theory on behavioral change in socio-ecological transformations and offer practical guidance for policy and community-level interventions.

Rapporten sammanfattar erfarenheter och insikter om den ideella delningsekonomins förutsättningar utifrån en pilotstudie av fem icke-vinstdrivande delningsinitiativ i Örebro. Rapporten syftar till att bidra till en diskussion kring möjligheterna att etablera, upprätthålla och skala upp ideell delning i Örebro liksom i andra liknande lokala miljöer. Studien belyser utmaningarna med att säkerställa den materiella infrastruktur och de kompetenser som behövs för att driva ideell delning. Studien belyser vidare den centrala roll som samhällsrelationer spelar för att möjliggöra delningspraktiker, inklusive betydelsen av sociala mötesplatser samt initiativens beroende av samarbete med kommun, givare och andra aktörer. Sammantaget visar resultaten att det finns en underutnyttjad potential i lokalsamhället för att stärka och växla upp delningsmodeller.

A better understanding of the factors at play in the normalisation of sustainable lifestyle choices is essential to achieve a large-scale transition to sufficiency-oriented lifestyles and societies. Aiming to contribute to this understanding, this article builds on literature on normativity and normalisation related to consumption and analyses interview material from a study with 25 Swedish individuals who aim to reduce their consumption. The analysis identifies both contextual and processual factors that dynamically interact in the process of normalising reduced consumption. The contextual factors are the cultural and social contexts shaping the ways consumption is practised, like social norms and sociomaterial infrastructures, but they also include the different settings where consumption is practised and talked about in everyday life, such as in the household, the workplace and with friends. The processual factors refer to factors of importance in the reduction process itself, such as the strengthening of reflexive capacity and the (re)negotiation of ‘normality’ through social interaction. Even if sociomaterial infrastructure and ideas of comfort act as barriers in the reduction process, we can discern a shift in norms around consumption in Sweden, towards normalising reduced consumption. The results show that renegotiating meanings and developing new competences and skills are important parts of normalising more sufficiency-oriented ways of consuming. They further suggest how everyday conversations and inspiring examples can help push the boundaries of what is perceived as ‘normal’ consumption, by initiating explicit negotiations about what consumption is acceptable in certain contexts.

This article explores the role of reflexivity in shaping how individuals engage with consumption reduction. We shed light on how 'reducers' -those who deliberately strive to limit their consumption-reflect on their practices, emotions, and identities in everyday life. Building on Archer's modes of reflexivity and Davidson's climate emotion framework, we investigate how internal conversations influence both motivations and strategies for reducing consumption. The study draws on a qualitative design involving 25 Swedish participants committed to consumption reduction. The findings reveal that individuals engage in reflexive work to different degrees and in diverse ways. Some rely on communicative reflexivity, seeking external validation and adjusting their practices to align with social expectations. Others demonstrate meta-reflexivity, critically questioning prevailing norms and their own contradictions, while several practice autonomous reflexivity, independently developing and sustaining reduction strategies. These varied reflexive orientations shape how participants balance ethical aspirations, social pressures, and emotional sustainability in their everyday negotiations of consumption.

This theoretical article contributes with a theoretical model to explore and understand the role of cultural and symbolic drivers behind (un)sustainable patterns and volumes of consumption. More specifically, it addresses the symbolic drivers of consumption in relation to both embracing and resisting consumerism. Classic concepts and themes in the sociology of consumption such as identity, conspicuous consumption, consumerism, status, distinction, rituals, and social comparison are addressed. Through such concepts, the article addresses the contemporary problem of unsustainable mass consumption; that is, the late modern "consumerist" tendency to consume more/faster/larger/fancier, which results in constantly higher climate/ecological footprints. The article also addresses counterefforts to those tendencies; that is, efforts among people/movements/communities to resist consumerism and adopt lifestyles characterized by sufficiency. How are symbolic drivers involved in these opposite tendencies? What are the implications? To address such questions, the paper reviews recent scholarly discussions around how symbolic drivers connect with consumerism and consumerist critique.

Ethical consumption can take different forms, each with its own justifications and underlying rationales. While countries in north-western Europe have well-established mechanisms for promoting ethically labelled products, the situation is different in many other regions across the world. This paper examines ethical consumption in Sweden and Iran to identify the societal factors that influence the phenomenon. Employing social practice theory and a multilevel perspective, the empirical study explores the assumption that ethical consumption develops in an interplay between different levels and between different social actors, which can both challenge and rely on existing capacities. Data was generated from 34 semi-structured interviews with citizens in both countries. Expanding beyond micro-level factors, this study makes a dual contribution to the field of ethical consumption. First, it offers insights into the diverse ethical perceptions related to consumption across societies, broadening the understanding of various aspects of the phenomenon. Secondly, it sheds light on the role of societal regimes in the emergence and adoption of ethical consumption.