Projects / Programmes
Social dimensions of sustainability trough the processes of dematerialization and resocialization: new scientific approach to analyse social and cultural capital for social cohesion and sustainable growth
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.06.00 |
Humanities |
Culturology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S220 |
Social sciences |
Cultural anthropology, ethnology |
social capital, cultural capital, social cohesion, sustainable growth, civic society, anthropological research, sustainable development, quality of life, democratic culture, human well-being, participation, inclusion, (in)formal networks, processes of dematerialization and resocialization;
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
22409 |
PhD Marta Gregorčič |
Sociology |
Head |
2007 - 2008 |
361 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Project brings greater definition to the social aspects of sustainable development. Sustainable development is customarily seen as encompassing ecological, economic and social dimensions. Most of the policy and literature in the domain of sustainable development has been upon environmental and, increasingly, economic concerns – and their reconciliation. Much less attention has been paid to the social dimensions of sustainability. Our project thus attempted to address this apparent lacuna by focussing on the concept of social and cultural capital, social cohesion and economic growth. Finding the impact of (social) factors to the (economical) growth will be pointed at two very sophisticate but also very significant and central elements of sustainable development: processes of dematerialization and resocialization.
Dematerialization refers to the maintenance or increase in goods and services while reducing their material and energy content. Resocialization refers to the increase in human well-being per unit of economic activity. The concepts of social and cultural capital will use as central indexes for strategies of dematerialization and resocialization. Social cohesion and sustainable growth will use as important indicators valuing social dimension of sustainability that will prove or disprove previous results of social and cultural capital.
Double measuring will strengthen our findings and results and permits scientific conclusions, which will have broad impact on further analyses, theories, measurements and strategies in scientific, political and economic development programs, such as core theoretical and research organizations inside University of Ljubljana and abroad as well as the Strategy for the Economic Development adopted by the Government of Slovenia (SGRS is Slovenia's main strategic document, on the basis of in-depth analyses, factors of economic development, long-term goals, the target development scenario, and the main guidelines for national policy), sustainable development strategy adopted by European Council in June 2006 and exercise of United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).
Significance for science
The central purpose of the social dimensions of sustainability project was to arrive at a set of scientific questions and issues, which would guide the sustainable development processes more exactly. The project has critically redefined the social dimension of the Lisbon strategy and provides greater definition to the social and cultural aspects of development. Thus strengthened their application in everyday social and political practices of democratic systems and tried to contribute scientific results for discussions on the European Union aims for 2010 – to reach the goal of being the world’s most dynamic, growing, knowledge-based economy, built on a foundation of social security and sustainable development.
The project answered some fundamental scientific questions, which are discussed in contemporary science, politic and economy on the regional, national and global level with the innovative approaches, new methodology and improved definitions of social and cultural indicators in qualitative and quantitative research. Scientific research explicated how the notion of social and cultural capital figures descriptively, as an endowment which contributes to meeting individual human needs, or as an infrastructure which offers an alternative to market provision in reducing individual material deprivation and how social and cultural capital might provide or strengthen scientific frameworks for better decision-making at a community or collective level as well as in the humanistic science.
Developing a sustainable development strategy is not simply a case of ‘bolting-together’ separate measures in the political, economical, social and environmental field but of reflecting upon the sustainability implications of all policies and economic policies in particular. That is why our project elaborated comprehensive system for application development (combining statistic and anthropology) to promote an integrated and balanced approach between the environment, social, cultural and economic objectives in order to improve social integration, cohesion, quality of life and inclusion among all social population in the country. With this project we tried the possibility of a creative start to a new and more integrated wave of research on social and cultural capital, social cohesion and sustainable growth true social and cultural dimension of sustainability. The new dimensions pooling of qualitative and quantitative analyses and their application to influence on new scientific research for politic and economy were initiated.
What was required in this project is a more deliberative (dialogical) process between theory and practice. Especially how does one translate the fruits of research and science into advocacy, everyday practice, what is also one of the main attempts of the engaged scientific work that might be relevant for the contemporary scientific researches on social development. The concept of the whole project was engaged in trying to build social capital through a formal and informal education component.
Knowledge creation and diffusion (cultural capital) is increasingly important driver of innovation, sustainable economic growth and social well-being. Project of social dimensions of sustainability is therefore interesting also for new scientific programmes in Slovenia and EU. The general purpose of this project, therefore, was to share perspectives on the subject of social and cultural capital in order to develop these ideas into a clearer understanding of the concepts and the role they might play in examining processes of dematerialization and resocialization or for other possibilities for reconciling human activities with ecological and economical constraints in the 21st century.
Significance for the country
The notions of social and cultural capital have often been suggested as a means of improving overall social and economic performance and, in some sense, linking institutional and value changes. In the literature on self-governing institutions and management of open-access or common property resources, a central proposition is that institutions must be structured so as to align individual incentives with community objectives. But the concept of social and cultural capital conjures up many different, possibly incompatible, images for different people. The project offered new perspectives on the subject of social and cultural capital in order to develop these ideas into a clearer understanding of the concepts and the role they might play in examining processes of dematerialization and resocialization or for other possibilities for reconciling human activities with ecological and economical constraints in the 21st century.
The project gave rich analyses of social and cultural aspects (value orientations) within society and between societies, determined their influence on economic and political factors, and vice versa: to establish to what extent other factors (economic and political) affect the social and cultural patterns of society. Apart from the emphasised comparative dimension, the analysis of (negative/positive) deviations, the identification of factors influencing specific behaviour, the analysis of the state’s functioning and activities of its inhabitants, the project was searching for possible concrete directions or solutions to avoid or eliminate negative development tensions.
The project is applicable for all (in)formal institutions and organisations necessary for effective political participation in any large democracy – from government and political parties to scientific institutes and civic society. Double measuring strengthened scientific hypothesis and permitted scientific conclusions, which can have broad impact on further analyses, theories, measurements and strategies in scientific, political and economic development programs, such as core theoretical and research organizations inside University of Ljubljana and abroad as well as the Strategy for the Economic Development adopted by the Government of Slovenia, sustainable development strategy adopted by European Council in June 2006 and exercise of UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).
The project is based on its richness in social and human resources – which offers great potential for sustainability in the regions experiencing rapid education, economic or social growth. Knowledge creation (cultural capital) and diffusion are increasingly important drivers of innovation, sustainable economic growth and social well-being. Project of social dimensions of sustainability will be interesting also for new funding and numerous and diverse users in Slovenia and EU.
The project promote a post-materialistic value orientation, for which it is significant that inhabitants demand active involvement and participation in decision-making in all social spheres and are familiar with the ways of achieving democracy. It is characterised by a high level of democratic culture (tolerance, trust, equality, solidarity, social engagement in everyday life etc), tendencies towards the individual's social and emotional welfare (satisfaction, happiness, opportunities, leisure, self-realisation etc), active participation at all levels and autonomous individuals.
Along with other forms of capital, social capital is an important development input. Most frequently it is defined as »social trust«, which is one of the basic types of potential of a society to establish the world market. Although social capital functions separately from the economic sphere, it nevertheless has an important influence on it. Social capital is decisive for the development of civil society – organizations and social networks somewhere between the family (private sphere) and the state (public sph
Most important scientific results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report,
complete report on dLib.si
