Social-ecological Transformation: Industrial Conversion and the Role of Labour

Lead Partner: University of Vienna, Institute for Political Science
Researchers: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brand, University of Vienna and Prof. Dr. Markus Wissen, HWR Berlin

The project aims to contribute to a better understanding of possibilities and obstacles regarding social-ecological conversion of the automotive industry and the respective roles of employees and their interest groups. The project addresses discussions, experiences and possible entry points for challenging the “automotive consent” and initiating more comprehensive social-ecological transformations in order to cope better with climate change, energy and resource challenges.

Furthermore the project addresses the role of workers and their representatives within processes of social-ecological transformation in general and the conversion of the automotive sector in particular. We assume that the participation of workers and their representatives and comprehensive forms of economic democracy have a decisive role to play in the development of alternatives to the car production and related infrastructure and the creation of decent work as part of successful and legitimate conversion processes. The project is funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund (KLIEN). Lead partner is the University of Vienna, Institute for Political Science (Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brand).