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Repair for a Broken Economy: Lessons for Circular Economy from an International Interview Study of Repairers

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  • Johan Niskanen

    (Department of Thematic Studies—Technology and Social Change, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

  • Duncan McLaren

    (Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Library Avenue, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK)

  • Jonas Anshelm

    (Department of Thematic Studies—Technology and Social Change, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden)

Abstract

The idea of replacing the broken linear economy with circular forms to help address the current sustainability crisis is gaining world-wide traction in policy, industry, and academia. This article presents results from an international interview study with 34 repair practitioners and experts in different fields. The article aims to improve understandings of the potential of repair so as to contribute to a more just, sustainable, and circular economy. Through a five-step qualitative method the results reveal and explore three tensions inherent in repair: first, repair activities constitute different forms of subjectivity; second, repair entails different and sometimes contested temporalities; and finally, even though repair is deeply political in practice, the politics of repair are not always explicit, and some repair activities are actively depoliticized. The opportunities and obstacles embodied in these tensions are generative in repair practices and debates, but poorly reflected in contemporary circular economy discourse. We conclude that a richer, more inclusive, and politicized understanding of repair can support environmental justice in the implementation of circular economy (CE) and provide greater opportunities for just and transformational sustainability strategies and policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan Niskanen & Duncan McLaren & Jonas Anshelm, 2021. "Repair for a Broken Economy: Lessons for Circular Economy from an International Interview Study of Repairers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2316-:d:502915
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Korhonen, Jouni & Honkasalo, Antero & Seppälä, Jyri, 2018. "Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 37-46.
    2. Burger, Martijn & Stavropoulos, Spyridon & Ramkumar, Shyaam & Dufourmont, Joke & van Oort, Frank, 2019. "The heterogeneous skill-base of circular economy employment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 248-261.
    3. Catherine E. Cherry & Nick F. Pidgeon, 2018. "Why Is Ownership an Issue? Exploring Factors That Determine Public Acceptance of Product-Service Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jennifer D. Russell & Sahra Svensson‐Hoglund & Jessika Luth Richter & Carl Dalhammar & Leonidas Milios, 2023. "A matter of timing: System requirements for repair and their temporal dimensions," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(3), pages 845-855, June.

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