The importance of space: Towards a socio- material and political geography of energy transitions

Abstract

This chapter reviews research on ways of theorizing spatial perspectives on socio-technical change in order to provide guidance for future research on the multiple geographies of energy transitions in Germany and elsewhere. Firstly, we analyse the ‘spatial turn’ in science and technology studies by tracing the genealogy of scholarship at the interface of sociotechnical research and urban studies. Secondly, we focus on the spatial perspectives of energy transitions, drawing on contributions from the fields of political science, human geography and planning studies. Thirdly, we revisit selected conceptual approaches from earlier chapters to explore how they theorize the spatial dimensions of institutions, materiality and power, respectively. The chapter concludes with reflections on what this means for developing a socio-material and political geography of energy transitions.