Papers by Tobias Gumbert
Consumption and Society
Increasing shares of the sustainable consumption literature postulate the need for a focus on lim... more Increasing shares of the sustainable consumption literature postulate the need for a focus on limits to consumption as a basis for achieving absolute reductions in resource use. After all, improvements in the sustainability of consumption expected from technological innovation and efficiency gains have been eaten up by rebound effects, to date. The decoupling that proponents of green growth were hoping for is nowhere in sight. However, discussions about limits to consumption immediately meet opposition from political representatives, powerful associations and industry lobby groups alike. Specifically, opponents claim that we simply cannot afford a scaling back of consumption and the economic growth it is supposed to drive due to the growth-dependent nature of our welfare systems. Such claims have become very dominant narratives that influence what societies deem ‘realistic’ and ‘possible’ regarding the politics of sustainable consumption, cementing the current status quo. It also sh...
Responsibility in Environmental Governance
Demokratie und Nachhaltigkeit
The Routledge Handbook of Democracy and Sustainability, 2021
The Routledge Handbook on Responsibility in International Relations, 2021
Routledge Handbook of Global Sustainability Governance, 2019
Demokratie und Nachhaltigkeit
In: Bohn Carolin, Fuchs Doris, Gumbert Tobias, Hasenkamp Victoria, Heimbach-Steins Marianne, Kuhn... more In: Bohn Carolin, Fuchs Doris, Gumbert Tobias, Hasenkamp Victoria, Heimbach-Steins Marianne, Kuhn Lilith, Salaske Sebastian, Sarpong Larissa, Schrüfer Gabriele, Schwarze Sonja, Siepker Lena, Steinhäuser Cornelia. (2020). Partizipation als zentrales Thema interdisziplinärer Nachhaltigkeitsforschung. ZIN Diskussionspapiere, 2020(01), 1-84.
Gumbert, Tobias. (2021). Nahrungsmittelverschwendung. Systemische Ursachen und global organisier... more Gumbert, Tobias. (2021). Nahrungsmittelverschwendung. Systemische Ursachen und global organisierte Unverantwortlichkeit. Wissenschaft & Frieden, 2021-4, 47-50.
Partizipation ist eine zentrale Voraussetzung fur eine erfolgreiche Nachhaltigkeitstransformation... more Partizipation ist eine zentrale Voraussetzung fur eine erfolgreiche Nachhaltigkeitstransformation in demokratischen Kontexten. Das ist Konsens in Politik und Wissenschaft und spiegelt sich in vielen Positionspapieren und Leitbildern sowie unzahligen Forschungsprojekten zu dem Thema wider. Gleichzeitig zeigt die Vielzahl an diesbezuglichen Forschungsprojekten und Publikationen jedoch auch die Herausforderungen gelingender Partizipation auf. Da Nachhaltigkeit ein inharent interdisziplinares Thema ist, ist es wichtig, Perspektiven unterschiedlicher Disziplinen auf Aspekte der Partizipation im Nachhaltigkeitskontext zusammenzubringen und diese verschiedenen Facetten zu beleuchten. Das hier vorliegende Papier stellt sich diesem Ziel. Es vereint Geograph*innen, Landschaftsokolog*innen, Politikwissenschaftler*innen, Soziolog*innen und Theolog*innen in der Identifikation relevanter konzeptioneller Fragestellungen und empirischer Entwicklungen. Die einzelnen Kapitel nehmen entsprechend aus u...
Consumption Corridors, 2021
Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy
This article makes the central argument that basic democratic values such as justice, autonomy an... more This article makes the central argument that basic democratic values such as justice, autonomy and participation run the risk of being neglected when designing 'nudges' (i.e., indirect suggestions to influence individual behaviour) for sustainable behaviour change in the context of food governance, potentially complicating a democratisation of the food system. 'Nudges' uphold freedom of choice while simultaneously advocating a non-coercive soft force of paternalism to help people realise their preferences, maximise societal well-being and meet macro-sustainability goals. While the promises of the 'nudge' approach are widely echoed, nudging is also being contested because of its possible anti-democratic effects, such as individualisation, depoliticization and the emphasis of the status of citizens as 'consumer-citizens.' From a food democracy perspective, these dangers may undermine efforts to organise collective political action and impede alternative visions of a future food system. Empirically, the article examines specifically how behavioural-economic approaches imagine transitions to a more sustainable food system. By using the "COOP Supermarket of the Future" as a case study, the following analysis will illustrate how private actors are increasingly involved in steering consumer choice towards socially desirable actions. The analysis suggests that the design of choice environments may under specific circumstances increase the susceptibility of individuals to the influence of corporate preferences and simultaneously decrease the prospects for democratic legitimation and decision-making. The article therefore critically assesses whether reforming the food system by altering consumers' choice-sets and the attribution of personal responsibility, may in fact point towards implicit antidemocratic tenets underlying the 'will to nudge' citizens.
Reports and Studies by Tobias Gumbert
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Papers by Tobias Gumbert
Reports and Studies by Tobias Gumbert