Pathways to Action Competence for Sustainability—Six Themes

Abstract

What promotes action competence for sustainability? This question is phenomenologically explored through researching in depth the life stories of three Swedish young adults who for several years have limited their own ecological footprints, led environmental initiatives of activist character, engaged in ecosystem protection, and participated in advanced non-activism in the public sphere. Narrative analyses of their life stories have resulted in six common themes: emotions creating a desire to change conditions; a core of values and contrasting perspectives; action permeation; feeling confident and competent with what one can contribute; trust and faith from and in adults; and outsidership and belongingness.

Keywords:

• action competence
• environmentally responsible action
• narratives
• phenomenology
• sustainability

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First, I would like to thank Anne Lilja for her valuable guidance in editing the English of this manuscript. I also want to thank Professor Miles Barker, Waikato University, who gave fruitful advice on how to improve earlier versions of the manuscript; the reviewers who productively assisted in the clarification of the manuscript; and my supportive colleagues at Jönköping University. Finally, I would like to thank the informants for generously sharing their life stories. The study has been funded by the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas), and Jönköping University.

Notes

1. Language of possibility, in contrast to langauage of critique, makes possibilities, actions and visions, visible and tangible (Breiting et al., 1999).