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Influence of Narratives of Vision and Identity on Collective Behavior Change

Author

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  • Ilan Chabay

    (Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, 14467 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Larissa Koch

    (Institute for Environmental Systems Research, University of Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany)

  • Grit Martinez

    (Ecologic Institute, 10717 Berlin, Germany)

  • Geeske Scholz

    (Institute for Environmental Systems Research, University of Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany)

Abstract

Profound societal transformations are needed to move society from unsustainability to greater sustainability under continually changing social and environmental conditions. A key challenge is to understand the influences on and the dynamics of collective behavior change toward sustainability. In this paper we describe our approach to (1) understanding how affective narrative expressions influence transitions to more sustainable collective behaviors and (2) how that understanding, as well as the potential for using narrative expressions in modeling of social movements, can become a basis for improving community responses to change in a rapidly changing world. Our focus is on narratives that express visions of desirable futures and narratives that reflect individual and social identities, on the cultures and contexts in which they are embedded, exchanged, and modified, and through which they influence the dynamics of social movements toward sustainability. Using an analytical categorization of narrative expressions of case studies in the Caribbean, Micronesia, and Africa, we describe insights derived from the narratives of vision and social identities in diverse communities. Finally, we suggest that narrative expressions may provide a basis for agent-based modeling to expand thinking about potential development pathways of social movements for sustainable futures.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilan Chabay & Larissa Koch & Grit Martinez & Geeske Scholz, 2019. "Influence of Narratives of Vision and Identity on Collective Behavior Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-15, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:20:p:5680-:d:276461
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karen Trapenberg Frick & David Weinzimmer & Paul Waddell, 2015. "The politics of sustainable development opposition: State legislative efforts to stop the United Nation’s Agenda 21 in the United States," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(2), pages 209-232, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shona K. Paterson & Ilan Chabay, 2024. "Navigating the currents of coastal narratives in search of sustainable futures," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Ortwin Renn & Ilan Chabay & Sander van der Leeuw & Solène Droy, 2020. "Beyond the Indicators: Improving Science, Scholarship, Policy and Practice to Meet the Complex Challenges of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-6, January.
    3. Ilan Chabay, 2020. "Vision, identity, and collective behavior change on pathways to sustainable futures," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 151-165, January.
    4. M. Borrello & L. Cembalo & V. D’Amico, 2023. "Narratives to revert overconsumption: human-nature interdependence and Circular Economy," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Jiaqi Ge & Andrea Scalco & Tony Craig, 2022. "Social Influence and Meat-Eating Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-23, June.
    6. Steven R. McGreevy & Christoph D. D. Rupprecht & Daniel Niles & Arnim Wiek & Michael Carolan & Giorgos Kallis & Kanang Kantamaturapoj & Astrid Mangnus & Petr Jehlička & Oliver Taherzadeh & Marlyne Sah, 2022. "Sustainable agrifood systems for a post-growth world," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(12), pages 1011-1017, December.
    7. Jennifer Helgeson & Cheyney O’Fallon, 2021. "Resilience Dividends and Resilience Windfalls: Narratives That Tie Disaster Resilience Co-Benefits to Long-Term Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-27, April.
    8. Yongsheng Zhang & Ilan Chabay, 2020. "How “Green Knowledge” Influences Sustainability through Behavior Change: Theory and Policy Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-13, August.

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