Transition towards and of sustainability—Understanding sustainability as performative
基于对斯德哥尔摩皇家海港十年数字足迹的研究，从述行性视角揭示可持续性概念如何随地点、时间、政治而具体化，解释其为何始终是争议性概念，并指出可持续性转型必然伴随可持续性本身的转变。
Abstract Our purpose is to explore the concept of “sustainability” when understood from a performative perspective, i.e. as a concept that is filled with meaning across time. Drawing on a 10 year‐long study of the digital footprint of Stockholm Royal Seaport, claimed to be northern Europe's largest sustainable urban development district, we show that “sustainability” emerged as the project became associated with particular places, projects, histories, and technologies. This means that “sustainability” was local in that it was situated in the particular spatial context of the project; temporal in that it was situated in a particular time; and political in that it expressed particular values and perspectives. The study contributes to explaining why “sustainability” remains—and always will remain—a contested concept, which is why sustainability transitions are complex. Consequently, we suggest that the transition towards sustainability always involves the transition of sustainability, something that needs to be acknowledged in order for a transition to actually become sustainable.