Putting the ‘Social’ into Sustainability Science

Abstract

The Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) were produced in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Eight of the 17 SDGs address social dimensions of sustainable development, although there are interrelationships between these and environmental, economic and process dimensions. Despite this emphasis on social aspects of sustainable development, sustainability science often neglects social science perspectives. In this paper this neglect will be confronted, and the value of both theoretical and empirical critical social sciences to sustainability science will be explored. With reference to an action research project, it will be argued that the framework of ideology–action–structure complexes is a useful one that can help illuminate the social conditions in which strides to achieving sustainability goals are taken. Some core characteristics of a future sustainability social science will be outlined.