Carbon, Climate, Capitalism: Two Applications of the Transition Model

Thatcher, Alice H. S.

Carbon, Climate, Capitalism: Two Applications of the Transition Model

Files

2014ThatcherA_thesis.pdf(8.22 MB)

2014ThatcherA_release.pdf(87.99 KB)

Date

2014

Authors

Thatcher, Alice H. S.

Advisor

Hein, Carola

Department

Bryn Mawr College. Department of Growth and Structure of Cities

Type

Thesis

Language

eng

Access Restrictions

Open Access

Terms of Use

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/us/

Abstract

The Transition movement advocates for relocalising social and economic interactions as a solution to the increasing threats of climate change, carbon-reliance and capitalism. Building off a framework grounded in resilience theory and degrowth, this paper examines the contributions of the Transition movement to current environmental discourses. Founded in Totnes, England, Transition draws on the strengths, weaknesses and unusual character of the town, which makes the successful replication of the model a source of uncertainty. In this paper, I examine what the Transition model looks like in a very different context: Media, an affluent suburb of Philadelphia. While Transition Town Totnes has accomplish much in a very short time, Transition Town Media's changes are less evident, indicating that cultural context and local character are instrumental in determining the success of a Transition Town. Drawing on a strand of resilience theory that stresses constant systematic change, I propose that, going forward, Transition's success depends less on its ability to replicate the successes of Transition Totnes and more on a Town's ability to shape its own pathways and adapt to its unique local environment.