The role of discourses in a transformation of social practices towards sustainability : the case of meat eating related practices

Abstract

Social practice theories help challenge the often hidden paradigms, worldviews and values at the basis of many unsustainable practices. However, practice theoretical research can also struggle to provide useful results for policymaking. Connected to social practices, discourses and their boundaries define what is seen as possible, what the range of issues and their solutions are. By exploring the connections between practices and discourses - where paradigms, worldviews and values are represented through cognitive frames a this thesis develops, firstly, a conceptual approach to help enable purposive change in unsustainable social practices. This is done in an interdisciplinary manner integrating different literatures. Secondly, the thesis takes the current meat system as a central theme. Radical transformation towards new meatways is arguably necessary, yet complex psychological, ideological and power related mechanisms currently inhibit change. Discourses are explored for answers.