Ongoing work
Industrial modernity, while enabling unprecedented advances in societal welfare, has also contributed to massive environmental degradation including climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion. Our ongoing work aims to answer three questions: how did we get here, why does it matter and what can we do? We aim to answer these questions through seven research streams.
Theorizing industrial modernity
We theorize the emergence, consolidation, crisis and transformation of industrial modernity from the Industrial Revolution to the near future. Synthesizing research streams, we develop the first macro-level theory in sustainability transitions and reinterpret modernization.
Mapping the historical evolution of industrial modernity
We study the evolution of industrial modernity from the 19th century to the present, tracing continuities and ruptures. We develop quantitative indicators to map related ideas, institutions and practices in G20 and Nordic-Baltic countries, combining newspaper text mining with diverse databases.
Mapping the contestation of industrial modernity
Are there long-term patterns in the contestation of beliefs, norms, and practices related to the natural environment, science, and technology? Using text mining and databases, we measure contestation in at least three frontrunners of the Industrial Revolution.
Creating the historical narrative of industrial modernization
We create a narrative explanation of the emergence, globalization and crises of industrial modernity. To illustrate local impacts, we combine secondary literature and archival sources in three historically different countries.
Identifying the mechanisms of industrial modernity
We identify various mechanisms that have shaped the long-term evolution and patterns of industrial modernity: amplifying, contesting, and blocking deep transformations. Using secondary literature and case studies, we show how they continue to shape contemporary sustainability interventions.
Developing an Industrial Modernity Index
We focus on cross-country comparison by further developing the Industrial Modernity Index with text mining. The index measures historical legacies and sustainability interventions to assess countries’ readiness to rethink industrial modernity and enact a deep sustainability turn.
Developing future scenarios
We develop future scenarios where rethinking industrial modernity enables a deep sustainability turn in Estonia by 2055. We combine empirical results with horizon scanning of Estonia’s transformative innovation potential, using techniques from futures studies to challenge taken-for-granted assumptions.