5
management to name a few (Jerneck et al. 2011; Leeuw et al. 2012; Rosen 2005).
These sustainability challenges are constantly changing over time; hence, actors
must often develop temporal approaches to the problems simultaneously in analyzing the problem structures when addressing sustainability challenges (Hiramatsu
2012; Komiyama and Takeuchi 2006; Sterman 2012).
To analyze the complexity of sustainability challenges and guide the current
human-nature system to pathways to a sustainable state, sustainability science must
differ in its structure and approaches from conventional science based on a reductionist perspective, and must also incorporate adaptive management, problem-based
and action- oriented perspective, and social learning approaches (Clark 2007; Kates
2001; Weinstein and Turner 2010). Reflecting these characteristics, sustainability
science is an interdisciplinary field in which different bodies of academic knowledge are integrated. Furthermore, sustainability science is presented as a transdisciplinary field that combines knowledge not only within academia, but also with
various social actors (Kajikawa 2008; Lang et al. 2012). This transdisciplinary orientation implies designing a transformational change of the current situation to lead
our society to a sustainable pathway (Chapin et al. 2011; Leeuw et al. 2012; Wiek
et al. 2012). Such an idea of producing collaborative knowledge and implementing
action is not limited to sustainability science; however, some experts in sustainability science explicitly emphasize its nature as being transformational science (Wiek
and Lang 2016). Pre-1987 literature illustrates the emergence of sustainability science both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Some bibliometric studies that analyzed the publication and co-authorship in the
field of sustainability research (Bettencourt and Kaur 2011; Kajikawa 2008;
Kajikawa et al. 2014; Kates 2011; Schoolman et al. 2012) found a steady increase
in sustainability research not only by the number of publications, but also by the
increase in thematic coverage. One major research theme identified is resilience
(Kajikawa et al. 2014). In the studies that examined sustainability science more
qualitatively, sustainability science can be subdivided into science for sustainability
and science of sustainability (Spangenberg 2011). Science for sustainability provides more technical approaches to offer possible solutions to sustainability challenges, and implies a basic scientific method based on problem-based and
interdisciplinary approach. The science of sustainability, however, aims to develop
a conceptual and methodological discussion of sustainability, the observation of
which “can be understood as a new step in the evolution of science” (Spangenberg
2011).
While some scholars treat sustainability science as an independent discipline,
others argue that sustainability science is rather a discipline that accommodates
diverse interactions among different academic disciplines (Clark and Dickson
2003). Shahadu (2016) claims sustainability science is an “umbrella science” that
fills the gaps among different research traditions based on different ontologies and
epistemologies (Shahadu 2016). Acknowledging such multiple understandings of
the concept of sustainability and facilitating interdisciplinary communication are
necessary steps for sustainability science to recognize its pluralistic nature (Olsson
et al. 2015).
1 Framing in Sustainability Science
management to name a few (Jerneck et al. 2011; Leeuw et al. 2012; Rosen 2005).
These sustainability challenges are constantly changing over time; hence, actors
must often develop temporal approaches to the problems simultaneously in analyzing the problem structures when addressing sustainability challenges (Hiramatsu
2012; Komiyama and Takeuchi 2006; Sterman 2012).
To analyze the complexity of sustainability challenges and guide the current
human-nature system to pathways to a sustainable state, sustainability science must
differ in its structure and approaches from conventional science based on a reductionist perspective, and must also incorporate adaptive management, problem-based
and action- oriented perspective, and social learning approaches (Clark 2007; Kates
2001; Weinstein and Turner 2010). Reflecting these characteristics, sustainability
science is an interdisciplinary field in which different bodies of academic knowledge are integrated. Furthermore, sustainability science is presented as a transdisciplinary field that combines knowledge not only within academia, but also with
various social actors (Kajikawa 2008; Lang et al. 2012). This transdisciplinary orientation implies designing a transformational change of the current situation to lead
our society to a sustainable pathway (Chapin et al. 2011; Leeuw et al. 2012; Wiek
et al. 2012). Such an idea of producing collaborative knowledge and implementing
action is not limited to sustainability science; however, some experts in sustainability science explicitly emphasize its nature as being transformational science (Wiek
and Lang 2016). Pre-1987 literature illustrates the emergence of sustainability science both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Some bibliometric studies that analyzed the publication and co-authorship in the
field of sustainability research (Bettencourt and Kaur 2011; Kajikawa 2008;
Kajikawa et al. 2014; Kates 2011; Schoolman et al. 2012) found a steady increase
in sustainability research not only by the number of publications, but also by the
increase in thematic coverage. One major research theme identified is resilience
(Kajikawa et al. 2014). In the studies that examined sustainability science more
qualitatively, sustainability science can be subdivided into science for sustainability
and science of sustainability (Spangenberg 2011). Science for sustainability provides more technical approaches to offer possible solutions to sustainability challenges, and implies a basic scientific method based on problem-based and
interdisciplinary approach. The science of sustainability, however, aims to develop
a conceptual and methodological discussion of sustainability, the observation of
which “can be understood as a new step in the evolution of science” (Spangenberg
2011).
While some scholars treat sustainability science as an independent discipline,
others argue that sustainability science is rather a discipline that accommodates
diverse interactions among different academic disciplines (Clark and Dickson
2003). Shahadu (2016) claims sustainability science is an “umbrella science” that
fills the gaps among different research traditions based on different ontologies and
epistemologies (Shahadu 2016). Acknowledging such multiple understandings of
the concept of sustainability and facilitating interdisciplinary communication are
necessary steps for sustainability science to recognize its pluralistic nature (Olsson
et al. 2015).
1 Framing in Sustainability Science