Die Verstetigung von Reallaboren im Spannungsfeld theoretischer Konzeption und praktischer Umsetzung - eine empirische Untersuchung

Die Verstetigung urbaner Reallabore kann einen substanziellen Beitrag zu einer gelingenden sozial-ökologischen Transformation leisten. Der Artikel umfasst eine Untersuchung ausgewählter drittmittelfinanzierter Forschungsprojekte, in welcher auf Grundlage einer kategorialen Annäherung an den Verstetigungsbegriff eruiert wird, wie sich der drittmittelfinanzierte Projektrahmen auf die Verstetigung von Reallaboren auswirkt. Die Untersuchung wurde mittels eines teil-standardisierten Fragebogens und einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse projektbezogener Ergebnisdokumentationen durchgeführt. Um diesem Forschungsvorhaben nachgehen zu können, wurden Ausprägungen der Themenfelder Verstetigung, Transferierbarkeit, Beitrag zur Transformation, Reflexivität und Lernprozesse sowie Transdisziplinarität erhoben. Im Zuge der Ergebnisdarstellung wird eine kritische Auseinandersetzung mit der Umsetzung von Reallaborkonzepten vorgenommen.The continuation and stabilization of urban real-world laboratories has the potential to contribute substantially to a successful socio-ecological transformation. Implementing actors face challenges which include time constraints related to project funding and the complexity of transdisciplinary research logic and practice. Selected externally funded research projects are assessed in terms of continuity, transferability, contribution to transformation, reflexivity and learning processes and transdisciplinarity to determine how project frameworks affect the continuity of real-world laboratory elements. The findings indicate a tendency towards a successful continuation of multi-stakeholder collaborations. A structural continuation of real-world laboratory activities by practitioners is also proven to be possible in various constellations. The termination of donor funded infrastructure and resources remains a major obstacle due to short project durations. The criteria of transdisciplinary research are accompanied by additional demands on the scientists, which in turn promote the increase in knowledge of method development and application, but must also be considered in the context of a lower output of peer-reviewed articles

Transformative Solutions in the Global South

Global solid waste generation is steeply increasing. Currently, high-income countries are responsible for the utmost per capita waste generation, but as economies of the Global South are growing rapidly, their waste is expected to triple by 2050. Simultaneously, countries such as Indonesia did not manage to align their socio-economic development with a sustainable solid waste management (SWM) and therefore contribute significantly to waste debris. Community participation is recognized by governments and civil society actors as an inclusive and transformative tool to manage exacerbating environmental issues. Urban regions intensify the challenges of solid waste generation, as is the case in Jakarta. Therefore, sustainable waste management is subject to an increasing number of civil society organizations. The study analyzed how participative processes within SWM efforts in Jakarta are executed, to investigate potentials and obstacles that evolve during the implementation. Another aim was to explore the heterogenous perspectives of participation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with civil society actors, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), social enterprises, and waste banks to get insights into participatory procedures in Jakarta. The results reveal that the waste problems in Jakarta are complex, interrelated, and multi-layered. While participatory procedures have been acknowledged by the organizations to be highly relevant for waste management, such approaches should be adapted depending on the local circumstances and actors. Some of the obstacles and limitations include deficiency of infrastructure for SWM, lack of government engagement, and general awareness. Therefore, participatory formats should be combined, e.g., with suitable structures and balanced engagement of all relevant actors. Among others, further empirical research is needed to get a better understanding of the effectiveness of participation for efforts addressing environmental pollution. Such research can reveal (hidden) potentials of participative formats for sustainable waste management in urban or metropolitan areas in the Global South

The continuation of urban real-world laboratories between theoretical conception and practical implementation

The continuation and stabilization of urban real-world laboratories has the potential to contribute substantially to a successful socio-ecological transformation. Implementing actors face challenges which include time constraints related to project funding and the complexity of transdisciplinary research logic and practice. Selected externally funded research projects are assessed in terms of continuity, transferability, contribution to transformation, reflexivity and learning processes and transdisciplinarity to determine how project frameworks affect the continuity of real-world laboratory elements. The findings indicate a tendency towards a successful continuation of multi-stakeholder collaborations. A structural ontinuation of real-world laboratory activities by practitioners is also proven to be possible in various constellations. The termination of donor funded infrastructure and resources remains a major obstacle due to short project durations. The criteria of transdisciplinary research are accompanied by additional demands on the scientists, which in turn promote the increase in knowledge of method development and application, but must also be considered in the context of a lower output of peer-reviewed articles