REPRESENTATIONS IN SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE TOOLS TO ANALYZE, ENVISION, ENGAGE, AND LEARN BEATRICE JOHN “Representation in Sustainability Science: Tools to Analyze, Envision, Engage, and Learn” Academic dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Sustainability of Leuphana University for the award of the degree Doctor of Philosophy -Dr. phil.- approved by Beatrice John, born Feb 18, 1985, in Achern Submission: January 7, 2019 Defense: March 25, 2019 Supervisor and first reviewer: Prof. Dr. Daniel J. Lang Second reviewer: Prof. Dr. Henrik von Wehrden Third reviewer: Prof. Dr. John Holmberg The articles included here, which together form this cumulative dissertation, have been or will be published in the formats listed below. Chapters 1-3 and 5-6 framing of this thesis may be published in future. John, B., Lang, D.J., von Wehrden, H., John, R., Wiek, A., n.d. Advancing Decision-Visualization Environments-empirically informed Design Guidelines. doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.26933.32486 John, B., Luederitz, C., Lang, D.J., von Wehrden, H., 2019. Toward Sustainable Urban Metabolisms. From System Understanding to System Transformation. Ecol. Econ. 157, 402–414. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.12.007 John, B., Withycombe Keeler, L., Wiek, A., Lang, D.J., 2015. How much sustainability substance is in urban visions? – An analysis of visioning projects in urban planning. Cities 48, 86–98. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2015.06.001 Caniglia, G., John, B., Kohler, M., Bellina, L., Wiek, A., Rojas, C., Laubichler, M.D., Lang, D., 2016. An experience-based learning framework. Activities for the initial development of sustainability competencies. Int. J. Sustain. High. Educ. 17, 827–852. doi:10.1108/IJSHE-04-2015-0065 Published in 2019 “If you can spray them, then they are real.” The day when Ian Hacking found out that “weak interactions of small particle physics are as real as falling in love,” and “he became a scientific realist” (Ian Hacking in “Representing and Intervening” 1983) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following individuals, who were all involved, voluntarily, directly or indirectly, in this PhD endeavor: Daniel and Henrik, for their support and mentoring and for leaving me space while this dissertation—and many other skills, and much research—developed. In particular, I thank Daniel for his guidance as my supervisor over the past years. In the end, nothing I said cost me my head. Guido, for knowing, acting, and being a true friend, peer, and coach throughout this time— and, of course, for introducing me to Ian Hacking. Fabienne and Annika, for their long-term company (with all our related ups and downs) and for bringing me back to a pragmatic work mode once in a while. The team of Bridging the Great Divide, particularly Heike and Olli, Cristina, and Chris for their helpful comments, review, and support, and Matthias for coaching me through last year’s PhD side effects. Franz und Annette, for their support and patience; Ruediger and Henrik, for last-minute panic attack management; and Patrick, without whom this would not have been possible. i My Contributions W WORKSHOPS & PRESENTING TEACHING 2017/18 Project Seminar Future City 2015 TD Summer School Special Training Lüneburg “Facing the Changing Climate“ Module “Transformational Sustainability 2017/18 Project Seminar Future City Research“ Lüneburg “Local Economies“ 2018 TD Summer School Special Training 2012-2016 “Sustainable Cities: A Module “Participatory Processes in Digital Contradiction in Terms?“ Bachelor twelve Visualization Environments“ seminars in trans-Atlantic blended, project- ISIE-ISSST 2017 Chicago Workshop based learning 2017 Transformations, Dundee Scotland T NETWORKING FOR CAPACITY g BUILDING Project: CapaCities (GCSO) with ASU, PSU, GLOBAL LEARNING & BLENDED UNAM, KIT LEARNING Keeler, L. W., Beaudoin, F., Wiek, A., John, B., 2012-2016 Research associate in „The Global Lerner, A. M., Beecroft, R., … Forrest, Classroom“ with Arizona State University N. (2018). Building actor-centric transformative capacity through city- John, B., Caniglia, G., Bellina, L., Lang, D. J., & university partnerships. Ambio. Laubichler, M. (2017). The Glocal Withycombe Keeler, L., Beaudoin, F., Lerner, Curriculum: A Practical Guide to Teaching A., John, B., Beecroft, R., Tamm, K., and Learning in an Interconnected World … Lang, D. (2018). Transferring (1st ed.). Baden Baden: [sic!] Critical Sustainability Solutions across Aesthetics Publishing. Contexts through City–University Caniglia, G., John, B., Bellina, L., Lang, D. J., Wiek, Partnerships. Sustainability, 10(9), A., Cohmer, S., & Laubichler, M. D. (2017). 2966. The Glocal Curriculum: A Model for Transnational Collaboration in Higher Education for Sustainable Development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 171(January 2018), 368–376. n RESEARCH CLIMATE, CITIES r Since 2016 Research associate in Bridging the Great Divide John, B., & Kagan, S. (2014). Extreme Climate Events as Opportunities for radical Open Citizenship. Open Citizenship, 5(1), 60–75. Luederitz, C., & John, B. (2015). Principles for sustainable urban places: the why, what and how. In J. Condie & A. M. Cooper (Eds.), Dialogues of Sustainable Urbanisation: Social Science Research and Transitions to Urban Contexts (pp. 13–18). Penrith, N.S.W.: University of Western Sydney. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS My Contributions ................................................................................................ ii Summary ............................................................................................................. v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 1 Represented: Mediators for Solutions ................................................................. 2 Representations in the Urban Context ................................................................. 5 CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND ............................................................................ 7 Knowledge Processes: To Analyze, To Envision, To Engage ............................ 8 Representation and Representational Practice: General and for Sustainability 10 Learning Processes ............................................................................................ 14 Gap and Research Question .............................................................................. 16 CHAPTER 3 CONCEPT AND DESIGN ........................................................... 19 Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS ..................................................................................... 25 Toward Sustainable Urban Metabolisms. From System Understanding to System Transformation ..................................................................................... 26 How Much Sustainability Substance is in Urban Visions? – An Analysis of Visioning Projects in Urban Planning ............................................................... 49 Mobilizing and Advancing Decision–Visualization Environments – Design Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 72 An Experience–Based Learning Framework. Activities for the Initial Development of Sustainability Competencies .................................................. 93 CHAPTER 5 SYNTHESIS ............................................................................... 117 Linking Representations for Sustainability ..................................................... 118 Representations in Knowledge Processes ....................................................... 119 Representations in Learning Processes ........................................................... 128 In Sum: Interlinking Representations .............................................................. 131 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION ........................................................................... 135 Contributions to Sustainability Science .......................................................... 136 Appendix ............................................................................................................. 141 References ....................................................................................................... 142 Appendix ......................................................................................................... 169 iii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1 Examples of representations A) Augmented reality and Lego B) Flows in the city, C) Paper-pencil game, D) digital dynamic manipulation ...................... 5 Figure 2 Conceptual Framing with three knowledge processes to analyze, to envision, and to engage; interconnected through learning; characteristics and mechanisms of representations (green) and representational practice (red) considered as tools to enhance all four elements. .................................................. 20 Figure 3 Conceptual frame with three knowledge processes to analyze, to envision, and to engage; interconnected through learning; specified characteristics and mechanisms of representations (green) and representational practice (red) considered as tools to enhance all three knowledge processes; resulting in specific implications (black) for learning. ........................................................................ 131 Table 1 Overview core characteristics, mechanisms of representations, and representational practice .......................................................................................