Narratives in Times of Radical Transformation

This book explores how narratives have been and can be used to facilitate radical transformations towards a more sustainable future.

Scholars from various disciplines have been increasingly utilizing social and cultural narratives to understand personal, social, and cultural transformations. These narratives offer guiding principles for achieving personal, social, and cultural transformations. Drawing on various fields such as psychoanalysis, psychology, sociology, technology, cultural studies, and related areas, this book presents different perspectives on narratives in situations of transformation, exploring both commonalities and differences. The interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research that underpins this book emphasizes the co-creation of knowledge between political, academic and civil society actors, and therefore necessitates shared narratives that can foster common problem-solving strategies. Shared narratives also play a crucial role in legitimizing goals by supporting pluralistic value- and norm-integration.

Offering new insights on how interdisciplinary research and therapeutic practice can assist individuals, groups, and even entire cultures in facilitating radical transformations towards more peaceful and sustainable living conditions, this book will be a key resource for scholars and researchers of sociology, psychology, technology, cultural studies, and related areas. It was originally published as a special issue of Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research.

Toshio Kawai, professor for clinical psychology at the Kyoto University and director of its “Kokoro Research Center” up to 2023.

Jonas Fahlbusch, urban planner and senior scientist at the chair for Work, Technology and Participation of Berlin University of Technology, Germany.

Hans-Liudger Dienel, full professor for “Work, Technology and Participation” and the Berlin University of Technology (Technische Universität Berlin) and director of the nexus Institute, the leading German research center for mini publics and Editor-in-Chief of Innovation. The European Journal of Social Science Research.

Ortwin Renn, Sociologist, professor for sociology of technology and the environment of Stuttgart University and director of the Resarch Institute for Sustainability in Potsdam, up to 2023.

Regina Renn, psychologist, former executive committee member of German Assocication for Analytic Psychology, Germany.