Institutions of Sustainability as an Analytical Framework and Research Heuristic

This project is conducted in association with several research visits at the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis at Indiana University in Bloomington and other institutes that concentrate on advanced institutional analysis. The objective of the research process is to develop basic research concepts for analyzing the reasons and impacts of the extended capacity of humans to use and overuse both geo- and bio-physical systems. Adequate theoretical approaches and empirical methodologies are required to develop a proper explanation and deep understanding of the complexity and diversity of nature-related institutions and governance structures in socio-ecological systems. A prerequisite to achieve this are analytical frameworks which have the capacity to serve as research heuristics for guiding research processes towards Institutions of Sustainability. This project aims to compare, refine, improve and extend analytical frameworks existing in different schools to arrive at a reliable framework for analyzing Social-Ecological Systems in an institutional perspective. The research process is closely connected with the process of communication and conceptualization of the SES Club (Social-Ecological Systems Club) which is taking place at the same time.