Research for action: 1st peer gathering (Oct 2024)

Summary

On the 1st of October 2024, Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) hosted two 90-min peer-learning gatherings for scholars interested in exploring ways to deepen and amplify Doughnut Economics research, and pushing for transformative action in line with research evidence.

75 people from 30 different countries registered to join these online gatherings, spanning all continents except Antarctica. A strong majority of registrants held research-related roles, with most expressing interests to either learn more about how Doughnut Economics research informs practice from a diversity of perspectives, or to connect with like-minded scholar-activists (or both, in many cases). In total, 33 of these registrants were able to join one of the sessions. (At DEAL, we know well how hard it can be to commit time for meetings, so we are grateful to everyone who expressed interest by registering, even if you could not make it!).

Welcome & Introductions

The two 90-min gatherings, held at different times to accommodate time differences, began with a brief welcome from Andrew Fanning, DEAL’s Research & Data Analysis Lead, followed by a round of introductions, including participants’ connection with Doughnut Economics research (if any).

The rich perspectives and interests that participants brought were incredibly diverse and inspiring for us at DEAL. Interests ranged from how Doughnut Economics links with other frameworks – such as modern monetary theory, degrowth/post-growth, cultural hegemony, SDGs, climate justice, and more – to exploring ways the concepts and tools of Doughnut Economics can be applied in different areas – such as faith-based communities, energy systems, and medical education, among others. Many participants acknowledged a need to account for distinct contexts, from neighbourhood to nation, and/or by sector, age, global North/South, and more.

 

Setting the scene

Following the introductions, Andrew set the scene for the discussion by sharing a brief presentation (you can download his slides here or at the bottom of this page). He began with a summary of his current vision for how research & data analysis supports DEAL’s broader strategic approach to reframe economic narratives, influence strategic policy, and collaborate with innovators (inspired by the Multilevel Perspective framework). 

He highlighted the increasing scholarly interest and funding available for post-growth research, including Doughnut Economics, and mentioned several of the tools to support researchers and analysts currently available on the DEAL platform, such as lists of academic articles and academic dissertations, resources to explore national doughnuts for 150 countries, and a repository of places putting the Doughnut Unrolled Data Portrait into action.

Andrew then presented some thoughts on the roles of scholar-activists as key actors in the wider movement of actors pushing for transformative social change in line with climate and ecological science. Drawing from the rich literature in this area, and acknowledging core influences inspiring his own journey, in particular Julia Steinberger, Andrew noted the naïveté of the prevailing theory of change within academia, which seems to operate under the assumption that the increased scientific understanding of a system should lead to an increase in its protection (also known as the ‘knowledge hypothesis’).

But it is well-known that policy and political decision-making are not informed solely - or indeed primarily - by scientific evidence: government decision-makers are influenced by a host of factors, perhaps most notably by powerful special interests seeking to entrench the status quo, especially fossil fuel and adjacent industries. Andrew emphasised that scholars taking a public stance on the implications of their scientific findings can have an outsized effect on public opinion, given that scientists are consistently ranked as one of the world’s most trusted professions. 

However, a recent study shows that few scholars take such public stances despite their disproportionate knowledge concerning the climate and ecological emergency (also known as the ‘knowledge-action gap’). Various intellectual and practical barriers were discussed, such as a perception that this is not the role of ‘objective’ scientists, doubts about the efficacy of advocacy and direct action, lack of skills and/or time, and fears of losing credibility, among others. 

Andrew concluded by stressing there are many ways to engage as scholar-activists in our personal and professional lives, including by setting up spaces to collectively reflect on research and our role as scientists within society – a core motivation for DEAL to convene these gatherings in the first place. 

Reflection & discussion

After Andrew’s presentation, the floor was opened for ~45-min discussions and reflections from peers on how this network could contribute to the issues raised or any others arising. 

A brief summary cannot do justice to the rich insights and resources shared at the gatherings, but here are two high-level points that give a partial sense of the discussion and incredibly valuable feedback from the participants who completed the brief post-meeting surveys . 

‘There are many ways to be an activist and I have ways to contribute that I hadn’t previously thought about’ 

Many participants expressed a desire to connect with others and learn from the diverse experiences in the room. It’s fair to say there was a shared sense that connecting as scholar-activists is important, and a strong spirit of collaboration was evident. Open questions included: ‘How do people get involved in or contribute to research? And/or activism, sharing ideas for activism, e.g. what works, what doesn't (may be related to country/culture)?’ Ideas from participants to mobilise the network further ranged from providing communication channels and listing participant’s possible avenues for collaboration to hosting dedicated sessions on specific topics and organising action around a concrete output.  

‘It is a passion and a struggle at the same time for many researchers/scholars to move from research to actionable changes.’

There was a broad consensus that the academic institutions many scholars are embedded within are part of the status quo, which reinforce an individualistic and often toxic ‘publish or perish’ ethic. Despite the best of intentions, it is often very challenging, uncertain, and slow work to create change from within, with few rewards for those who pick up the struggle. Many academics are encouraged to have ‘impact’ but this often translates to producing policy briefs for decision-makers who are constrained in existing election cycles and a web of influencing factors. There was particular interest to learn about collaborations between academics and activists from the group, with participants agreeing on the mobilising power of scholars engaging with community groups who are looking for support. Participants suggested future sessions could explore such specific questions/topics, and/or have channels for easy communication. 

Overall, we at DEAL are delighted to have connected with the inspiring scholar-activists who joined these gatherings, and we are convinced that they have kicked off a very useful step towards deeper connection. In response to the anonymous post-meeting survey question ‘how useful did you find this peer-learning event?’ (where 1= not useful; 5 = extremely useful), it seems participants generally agree, with an average score of 4.5, which is certainly encouraging motivation for us to continue building momentum in this area.

We are very grateful to everyone who attended and contributed such interesting questions, reflections, ideas for improvement, and more. Here’s to unleashing creativity towards ensuring research leads to transformative action fit for the 21st century. Do follow the Doughnut Economics #Research-for-action topic and watch this space!