Regional Transition Fields - Exploring institutional dynamics of contestation and entrenchment in an energy transition case in Germany

Abstract

In the context of regional energy transitions entrenched positions between involved actors are empirically observable but we lack a regionally specific theoretical foundation to grasp and explain them. The study suggests the concept of ‘Regional Transition Fields’ (RTF) which encompass all actors, activities and organisations in a region that share a concern for the energy transition. This approach allows consideration of both those actors that promote an energy transition towards more sustainable energy sources and those that oppose it as part of the same field. The study argues that, despite the apparent agreement on the issue at stake, conflicts and tensions arise within that field concerning the rules, regulations, and common reference frames against which behaviours are judged. The framework posits that processes of adaptation and delimitation continually re-shape the structure of the field. The framework is applied to a qualitative in-depth case study of Northern Hesse in Germany. Based on a content analysis of semi-structured interviews the study offers evidence of the existence of a regional transition field, briefly introduces the key actors and actor constellations in this field, and illustrates the regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive dimensions of both adaptation and delimitation processes in this case. The study thus contributes a conceptual framework on how institutionalisation occurs in fields and thereby a more nuanced understanding of the emergence of entrenched positions in regional transition fields, which may inform future studies of regional energy transitions.