Action research on local community action in Ein-Hod, Israel
Supported by the 2011 Smaller-Vinikov grant for environmental research, Yoav Egozi has been examining the implementation of the Transition model in Israel. He has investigated the factors that influence local residents to act, and the effects of this activity on them and on the wider community. This research represents the first application of the Transition approach within Israel.
The study takes a case study approach, using qualitative methods and an action research orientation. It takes place in Ein-Hod, an artists’ village on the Carmel Mountain that was badly damaged in the 2010 Carmel fire. The researcher generates the process in collaboration with a core group of local residents.
The project is a masters study being undertaken in the Porter School of Environmental Studies and the PEC Lab at Tel Aviv University.
Further information can be found here.
Barriers and Opportunities for Building Resilience: A Critical Assessment of Transition Initiatives in Spain
Autonomous Barcelona Univesity (UAB), Urban Resilience Young Researchers network (URBnet), Red de Transición España (REDTE) (Spanish Transition Network).
Dr Lorenzo Chelleri (Project leader)
Juan Del Rio
Serena Trinelli
In response to the recent establishment of numerous transition initiatives following the economic crisis in Spain, this project aims to assess and support those initiatives during their early, tentative, stages. Linked with the creation of a new national transition network website (http://www.reddetransición.org/ – under development), it will employ qualitative methods to assess the barriers and opportunities experienced in efforts at building community resilience.
The initial design of the project includes three phases:
- Identification and mapping of Transition Initiatives nationwide
- Semi-structured interviews (19 in-depth interviews)
- Final report with a first orientative assessment
Simultaneously, we are conducting an in-depth qualitative assessment of the Barcelona case, where different initiatives with different political backgrounds are operating. We warmly welcome volunteers and collaborators interested in supporting the addition of further case studies within this (or anticipated future) assessments.
A final workshop titled “Barreras y oportunidades para las iniciativas sociales hacia la sostenibilidad – Creando puentes en tiempos de Cambio“ was held in Barcelona at the end of the project, on the 21st of February 2014. There we presented: the the results of our first national level assessment of Transition Initiatives, the new web of REDTE, Transition Research Network as well as the European network ECOLISE (European Community-Led Initiatives for a Sustainable Europe), and during an intensive day of debate we aimed to promote knowledge exchange among the de-growth, Transition, and many other social movements co-existing in Barcelona.
If you are interested in learning more about this project please contact Lorenzo Chelleri or Juan Del Rio.
Transition Emerging: Researching Transition in Canada
2012-2015Our study examines the emergence of the Transition movement in Canada. Our goal is to better understand how social movements respond to emerging environmental and economic challenges, and to document and describe some ‘lessons learned’ and ‘promising practices’ that might help strengthen the Transition movement here and elsewhere around the world. Our study uses a combination of surveys, interviews, and interactive story telling workshops to collect information from people involved in Transition initiatives across the country. Some of the questions we will pursue in this study include:
- How has the Transition movement unfolded and taken root in Canada?
- What are Transition initiatives doing, with whom, and how?
- What challenges have initiatives faced, and how have they sought to overcome them?
- How do Transition initiatives enable participants to explore and embody new ways of thinking and doing ‘sustainability’, community ‘resilience’, and equity?
- What can be learned from these experiences that can inform this and other movements?
Contact:
Blake Poland (Principal Investigator): blake.poland [at] utoronto.ca
Email: contact@TransitionEmergingStudy.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TransitionEmergingStudy
Website: www.TransitionEmergingStudy.ca