The prefigurative politics of enactable sustainability transformations in the present
The concept of “prefigurative politics” invites geographers to envision transformative change through a shift in practices stemming from a micro level. This article examines and substantiates how this idea is mobilised in relation to current sustainability transformations. A large interdisciplinary group of geographers and transition scholars present topic clusters of prefigurative enablers that instigate and catalyse the enactment of transformative policymaking towards sustainable futures. Drawing on dozens of rich and diverse examples to illustrate cases of transformation, we provide a conceptual perspective to advance the theoretical discussion about triggers and processes of transformative change amongst geographers. We argue for three principles for examining the prefigurative politics of present transformation: (a) multi-scalarity, to consider prefigurative politics across personal-systemic spheres; (b) boundary transgression, to span interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary as well as inward- and outward-looking prefigurative politics; and (c) temporalities, to address institutionalisation and change processes that play out along short and long timelines. Approaching present transformations through a prefigurative politics lens helps identify scope for action that aligns with transformative change. We argue for wider deployment of these principles, to synthesise scholarship, channel micro-level prefigurative political efforts into systemic transformative change, and guide future research and policymaking towards sustainability transformations.
Authors
- Maraja Riechers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3916-8102)
- Sevinç Gelmez Burakgazi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4553-1433)
- Monika Piotrkowska (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3269-1884)
- Veronika Kiss (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8823-9096)
- Adrianna Czarnecka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9136-0623)
- Nigar Alkan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9181-4285)
- Chris Rønningstad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4261-4396)
- Aleksandra Kekkonen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-0728)
- Siddharth Sareen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0826-7311)
- Nurinisa ESENBUGA
- Gintarė Tamašauskaitė-Janickė (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9464-1760)
- Rocío Pineda‐Martos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7176-1531)
- Şehnaz Sakici (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3026-7836)
- Anita Uchańska-Bieniusiewicz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4445-0420)
- Sandra Bernardo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3599-8187)
- Maria Luísa Vasconcelos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9045-1256)
- Claudiu Martin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9201-5263)
- Tuba Aydin Gungor
- Helena Belchior Rocha
- Aleksandra Martinovska Stojcheska
- Timo Von Wirth
- Sirkku Juhola
- Nimet Kalkan
- Jan Kunnas
- Sarah Milliken
- Martin H. G. Prechtl
- Ana Slavec
Institutions
- Warsaw University of Technology (PL)
- Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (PT)
- Kozminski University (PL)
- Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)
- University of Primorska (SI)
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Artvin Coruh University (TR)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- Estonian Business School (EE)
- Fernando Pessoa University (PT)
- Karadeniz Technical University (TR)
- Corvinus University of Budapest (HU)
- Vilnius University (LT)
- University of Eastern Finland (FI)
- Universidade Politécnica de Lisboa (PT)
- Fridtjof Nansen Institute (NO)
- Finland University (FI)
- Institute for Sustainability (GB)
- Metropolitan University (BD)
- National Fisheries Institute (US)
- University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava (SK)
- University of Bergen (NO)
- University College London (GB)
- Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (DE)
- University of Greenwich (GB)
- Gaziantep University (TR)
- Atatürk University (TR)
- Hacettepe University (TR)
- Universidad de Sevilla (ES)
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography
- Published
- 2026-04-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2026.2648496
- Primary Topic
- Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- European Cooperation in Science and Technology
- Universitetet i Bergen
- Norges Forskningsråd