Halfway there

My so-called mid-term evaluation is right around the corner. This means I am halfway through my PhD. Time flies when you have fun, right? Because yes. The time has flown.

Fortunately, the act of taking stock of my work has made evident that I have actually accomplished quite a lot. I’ve published one paper, conducted six interviews, held a vision workshop, taken 29 credits, held 7+ presentations, published a debate paper, written an essay, and read. A lot.

Sorry if you felt me bragging when reading that. I ensure you it will not last much longer, because here come the reflections. I have indeed done a lot and found some answers, but what kind of answers? How many pieces of the puzzle have I been able to collect? Let’s see.

I have figured out quite a lot about what sustainability really is about and how one can frame it in a research context. In my published paper I argue for taking a biosphere-based approach to sustainability, where the biosphere is understood as the foundation of a functioning society and economy. A flourishing society is again a prerequisite for a functioning economy. Building on this quite technical interpretation comes the layer of transformation, which provide a totally different set of principles. Values, worldviews, knowledge, political systems etc. are additional features that I have added to the puzzle.

Since I’m writing an interdisciplinary thesis, I am truly grateful for finding system theory and the work of Donella Meadows. This is a lens that I think will prove to be a useful overarching “discipline” for my work. The notion of leverage points, i.e. places to intervene in order to change a system, is something I have thought quite a lot about in the past months. I have not quite figured out where this fits in the puzzle yet, but I am confident that it belongs there somewhere.

Gathering vast empirical data has been a new experience and I feel like I officially have entered the field of social science. This is quite a step for someone with an M.Sc in engineering. But I must say, I like it. The world is fuzzy and in many cases intangible. The answers I am seeking are dependent on the soft methods.

As I stated earlier, I have read a lot. I have been confused. A lot. I have gone back and forth on interpretations and conclusions. I have done things that proved to be unnecessary. As my research has progressed I have developed as a person. Karen O’Brien writes about quantum social change and taking a quantum leap both individually and societally (she also writes about the more familiar context of atoms taking quantum leaps – having the engineering degree might prove to be useful after all).

I believe that I have taken a quantum leap. I’ve made some difficult life decisions. I’ve felt alive and torn apart. I’ve been searching for answers in fields ranging from philosophy to quantum physics. And I’ve learned that it is all connected. The world is indeed a mysterious, fuzzy, unordered, interconnected, and often intangible place. It is also beautiful and full of surprises. And so are we.

Thanks for reading. It’s not easy to share and be vulnerable online. This is me giving it a shot, and I welcome you to do the same. Please reach out if you have something to discuss.

-R