What kind of research into ecological and social transformation?

These two research days, essentially internal to the University of Lausanne (UNIL), but with the participation of invited external researchers, were part of the determination of the Centre de Competence en Durabilité (CCD) of the University of Lausanne (UNIL) to take the first step in the development of a new approach to sustainability; The aim of the Centre de Compacute;tences en Durabilité (CCD) at UNIL was to lay the foundations for an interdisciplinary research programme on ecological and social transformation.
The colloquium's more specific objectives included:

It will be an opportunity to examine the role of research in this field.

• to identify cross-cutting themes enabling inter- or trans-disciplinary research;
• to discuss the possible contributions of the various disciplines to research on this theme;
• to question which approaches are most likely to have a transformative impact ;
• d’initiate collaboration and échanges with external researchers invitedé·e·s.

The research programme being set up, whose lines of research will be fuelled by the reflections contributed during the colloquium, will be particularly interested in the “path of transformation”. The diagnosis of the unsustainability of the way our societies currently function has been widely documented, and a large body of research offers a relatively clear vision of the objective to be achieved (although this can be broken down into a number of possible normative models, e.g. Donut, planetary limits, SDGs, etc.). However, current socio-economic trajectories do not seem to be moving in the direction of this objective. In this context, it seems appropriate to focus on the study of the process of change, the constraints and obstacles that slow it down and, above all, the instruments of various kinds that make it possible to overcome these constraints. How can this goal of sustainability be achieved, given the complexity of contemporary societies and the many issues (political, legal, economic, psychological, social, ethical, technical, etc.) that will have to be addressed in the process of ecological and social transformation? This report concentrates mainly on the various presentations that took place over the two days, and reports only at the margins on the very rich participation of the public and the lively discussions that followed the various presentations, in a climate conducive to interdisciplinary exchange. With regard to the content, this document provides an overview highlighting some of the central points, but does not attempt to give an exhaustive account of the wealth of issues addressed.

Publication date: 30 March 2023