8
1.3 What to Frame as Sustainability Challenges
Sustainability science is a problem-based or solution-oriented science (Clark and
Dickson 2003; Kates et al. 2001), and this implies that a process to define what to
frame is a challenge that exists in all sustainability research. Sustainability is “a
fundamentally ethical concept raising questions regarding the value of nature,
responsibilities to future generations, and social justice” (Norton 2005), yet a limited discussion has been held on these normative dimensions of sustainability in
sustainability science research. Those challenges related to problem-based or
solution- oriented dimensions such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource
depletion have undoubtedly been framed as key sustainability issues because these
problems will result in serious threats to human beings. However, a new set of challenges has been observed that are more related to human society, and the emergence
of these challenges can be seen as a result of socioeconomic development such as
rapid urbanization, mass production and consumption, and heavy transportation.
Although these challenges are included in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), reviewing what we are framing as sustainability concerns in these challenges is critical to better understand what we are aiming to achieve through sustainable development.
The state of being sustainable tends to be seen as an absolute state of society that
takes a balance between human system and nature systems (Giampietro 2002).
When such a static perspective to sustainability is applied, a belief that lowering
consumption of goods and services or reducing carbon emissions from our daily
lives eventually leads our society to a sustainable state is commonly shared.
Solution-oriented approaches tend to employ this static perspective and consider
that sustainability can be achieved by designing systems in which agents follow the
structured rules of the system. In reality, however, what sustainability means is to
change gradually over time as people’s value orientations change. Therefore, sustainability should not be seen as a fixed goal of our society, it is rather a process, and
people only sustain what they frame as valuable based on their value propositions.
1.4 What Is Framing?
Framing is a common concept in many academic disciplines such as psychology,
linguistics, sociology, communication and media studies, and political science.
Framing explains how people perceive and interpret particular topics or events with
the social norms, values, and assumptions that they apply in all situations (Benford
and Snow 2000; Goffman 1974). When a majority of the general public applies one
particular framing to one particular topic, then it provides explanations of why this
topic matters, who is responsible, and what measures should be taken (Gamson
et al. 1989; Price et al. 2005). Utilizing such characteristics of framing, reframing is
sometimes used to set alternative perspectives to topics and events with particular
meaning that the person or group would like to propose (Jarratt and Mahaffie 2009).
S. Kudo and T. Mino
1.3 What to Frame as Sustainability Challenges
Sustainability science is a problem-based or solution-oriented science (Clark and
Dickson 2003; Kates et al. 2001), and this implies that a process to define what to
frame is a challenge that exists in all sustainability research. Sustainability is “a
fundamentally ethical concept raising questions regarding the value of nature,
responsibilities to future generations, and social justice” (Norton 2005), yet a limited discussion has been held on these normative dimensions of sustainability in
sustainability science research. Those challenges related to problem-based or
solution- oriented dimensions such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource
depletion have undoubtedly been framed as key sustainability issues because these
problems will result in serious threats to human beings. However, a new set of challenges has been observed that are more related to human society, and the emergence
of these challenges can be seen as a result of socioeconomic development such as
rapid urbanization, mass production and consumption, and heavy transportation.
Although these challenges are included in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), reviewing what we are framing as sustainability concerns in these challenges is critical to better understand what we are aiming to achieve through sustainable development.
The state of being sustainable tends to be seen as an absolute state of society that
takes a balance between human system and nature systems (Giampietro 2002).
When such a static perspective to sustainability is applied, a belief that lowering
consumption of goods and services or reducing carbon emissions from our daily
lives eventually leads our society to a sustainable state is commonly shared.
Solution-oriented approaches tend to employ this static perspective and consider
that sustainability can be achieved by designing systems in which agents follow the
structured rules of the system. In reality, however, what sustainability means is to
change gradually over time as people’s value orientations change. Therefore, sustainability should not be seen as a fixed goal of our society, it is rather a process, and
people only sustain what they frame as valuable based on their value propositions.
1.4 What Is Framing?
Framing is a common concept in many academic disciplines such as psychology,
linguistics, sociology, communication and media studies, and political science.
Framing explains how people perceive and interpret particular topics or events with
the social norms, values, and assumptions that they apply in all situations (Benford
and Snow 2000; Goffman 1974). When a majority of the general public applies one
particular framing to one particular topic, then it provides explanations of why this
topic matters, who is responsible, and what measures should be taken (Gamson
et al. 1989; Price et al. 2005). Utilizing such characteristics of framing, reframing is
sometimes used to set alternative perspectives to topics and events with particular
meaning that the person or group would like to propose (Jarratt and Mahaffie 2009).
S. Kudo and T. Mino