Multi-system dynamics in sustainability transitions
The thematic group on Multi-System Dynamics (MSD) focuses on understanding system transformations unfolding across multiple different yet interconnected socio-technical systems. By fostering dialogue and collaboration, the group aims to develop and consolidate research on multi-system interactions, exploring empirical multi-system phenomena, their theoretical implications, and methodological challenges.
Transitions towards net-zero entail system transformations unfolding simultaneously across multiple different – yet interconnected – sectors including electricity, heating, transportation, buildings, agri-food, water, and industry. Sustainability transitions occurring within one socio-technical system inevitably influence transition processes unfolding in adjacent systems, and vice-versa.
To address multi-system dynamics, transitions research has started to broaden its traditional empirical boundaries of single-system analysis to encompass the enquiry of multi-system interactions and their underlying dynamics across technological, organisational, institutional, political and other dimensions. This thematic group (TG) aims to provide a constructive forum for discussion that both formalises and consolidates the enquiry of multi-system dynamics (MSD) as a novel research stream emerging within the sustainability transitions community. To this end, this TG will foster multidisciplinary dialogue and collaboration concerning the theoretical implications, conceptual opportunities, and methodological challenges stemming from the empirical enquiry of multi-system dynamics. On the one hand, studies of MSD can build on and extend existing conceptual frameworks and methods, and on the other hand, bring forward new conceptual and methodological approaches. Furthermore, MSD analyses may grasp a variety of empirical multi-system phenomena, ranging from dual-system couplings to co-evolution and interactions in more complex configurations of systems.
Current and future activities
The thematic group builds upon the successful organisation of two previous workshops on multi-system interactions in May 2023 at the TIK Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture – University of Oslo (Norway) and in May 2024 by Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden). Moving forward, the TG-MSD will provide continuity to this workshop series and organise a third one at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Winterthur (Switzerland) in March 2025.
The agenda for the 2025 workshop can be accessed here: MSI Workshop Final Program
After a successful special session at the 15th IST in June 2024 in Oslo, we will also convene a special session at the 16th IST in June 2025 in Lisbon. Further activities at other conferences and workshops will follow and you are welcome to get in touch with ideas.
The workshops and conference sessions will be complemented by the publication of a Special Issue on MSD in the EIST journal. To this effect, the MSD workshop and IST special session will provide spaces for critical discussion and constructive feedback allowing participants to further develop, sharpen, and refine their respective research in preparation for a possible submission to the EIST-SI later on in 2025.
We welcome anyone interested in contributing to multi-system dynamics group. The group is organised by Meike Löhr (EAWAG) and Ksenia Onufrey (Chalmers University of Technology).
If you are interested in contributing, please get in touch with Meike and Ksenia: strn.tg.ms@gmail.com
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21st of March 2025
Multi-system dynamics in sustainability transitions call for papers for a special issue in EIST
Building on the success of the special track on Multi-System Dynamics at last year’s International Sustainability Transitions conference and three successful Workshops on the topic in the last years, Ingrid Mignon, Allan Dahl Andersen, Ksenia Onufrey, Laur Kanger, and Meike Löhr are warmly inviting contributions for a special issue in Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions on Multi-system dynamics in sustainability transitions.
Deadline for full papers: August 31, 2025
Review process and publication will take place continuously with full special issue publication completed in early spring 2026.
A full description of the call for papers can be found here Extended Call for Papers_Special Issue
The timeframe is as follows:
– Journal submission open – Early March, 2025
– Journal submission closes – August 31, 2025
– 1st round peer review completed – October 30, 2025
– Revisions and resubmissions – December 15, 2025
– 2nd round peer review completed – January 31, 2026
– Full special issue publication – March 15, 2026
Please spread the call to interested scholars, and in case of questions, do not hesitate to reach out to ingrid.mignon@chalmers.se
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9th of March 2025
On March 6-7, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) hosted the 3rd International Workshop on Multi-System Dynamics in Sustainability Transitions in Winterthur, Switzerland. Organized by Cristian Pons-Seres de Brauwer and Jochen Markard, the workshop was arranged in connection with the newly established TG on Multi-System Dynamics. The workshop was the 3rd in a row, building on earlier events in Gothenburg (2024) and Oslo (2023).
The hybrid workshop gathered 22 people in person and up to 17 online, including early career researchers and scholars from the Global South. It provided a vivid forum for discussing ongoing research on topics such as multi-system transition pathways, value chains, systems in decline, subsumption, complexes of systems, or different types of actors, such as system entanglers connecting different systems.
Apart from in-depth discussions and networking, the workshop also addressed the upcoming events and activities within the thematic group, such as a dedicated open track at the IST 2025 conference and the recently announced special issue in EIST on multi-system transitions (see separate news article).
The organizers are grateful for the co-funding they received from the Swiss National Science Foundations, STRN, and ZHAW INE.
The full agenda of the event can be found below.
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25th of February
The 3rd International Workshop on Multi-System Dynamics in Sustainability Transitions will take place on March 6-7, 2025, at ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) in Winterthur, Switzerland. This workshop builds on previous MSI events and is organized in connection with the newly established Thematic Group on Multi-System Dynamics.
The workshop will provide a forum for scholars to discuss multi-system interactions in sustainability transitions, addressing key themes such as energy transitions, industrial value chains, system decline, and circularity. The program features presentations from leading researchers in the field, with opportunities for in-depth discussions and networking.
While the workshop is primarily an in-person event, a limited number of online participation slots are available. Interested scholars are invited to express their interest via the following form: https://forms.gle/zt4LYQwzWBjaN8z86.
For further inquiries, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Cristian Pons-Seres de Brauwer or Jochen Markard.
The organizers are grateful for the co-funding they received from STRN for this event and are looking forward to welcoming participants to Winterthur for an engaging and productive workshop!