Sustainable development an essentially contested and context-depending concept

1. Sustainable developmentan essentially contested and context-depending concept

2. According to Gallie (1956), an essentially contested concept is characterised by five traits: • It refers to something that is generally supported as valuable • It has a multi-dimensional character and an internal complexity • It is open to unpredictable changes and new interpretations • Actors are aware of the contested character of the concept • Actors are prepared to argue and compete for their own interpretations

3. Context-dependencythe conceptual meaning, relevance and concrete manifestations of sustainable development vary in different type of contexts Quite different and commonly held assertions of what characterise sustainable development as a concept are correct at the same time but in different contexts: • It has strong, positive value-dimensions that are supported by most actors in society (a new vision and mega-trend) • It is a multidimensional and essentially contested concept • It is used in a rhetorical way and is not given instrumental power (mere window-dressing?) • It is sometimes specified in order to work well in concrete development projects, which means that some priorities are made rather than others.

4. Social science theories of sustainable development Ecological modernisation Ecologism Continuing modernisation Fundamental modernisation by adding ”green values” critique Instrumental antropocentrism Ecocentrism/biocentrism Green economic growth Limitations of growth Justice is no big problem Justice is at the heart of the (”a growing cake to share”) problem in many respects Liberal democracy with more Democratic and anti-democratic participation and deliberation solutions