LUCID – “Defining norms of sustainability”
Dr Baier points out that the notion of social sustainability has been persistently followed by its early proponents like Håkan Haydén since the mid 1980s. The formation of Agenda 21 coincides this period and democracy debate has been central to the ‘norms’ of sustainability. These norms will be the vehicle or paradigm to achieve understanding of the society and hence overcome the divide between “being” (the empirical investigation) and “doing” (research with implications).
Baier emphasizes that while vast amount of empirical data is available today, research that makes change is necessary. Often research findings loose grounds for implementation from the limitations posed by contesting interests. Thus the concept of “T” science becomes increasingly relevant in research. By “T” science the emphasis is to show that while vertical, specialized research continues to be important, through trans-disciplinary approach, a wider understanding and scope of the problem definition has to be done. Such an approach gives a larger room for different disciplines to add to the existing perspectives. Sustainability issues are often accused to have focussed on natural science while it has increasingly become clear that the outlook has to be comprehensive of the objectives of social science, in the same domain. Sustainability science thus, for instance, becomes a meeting point for policies in science through which new perspectives can be added to the existing law.
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