POST CONSUMPTION CITIZENSHIP (POST CC)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Growth and uncritical use of resources have a downside that is becoming increasingly evident in today’s society. However, growth is deeply rooted in societies governed by capitalist and market liberal ideals, making it difficult to challenge. While high consumption has so far been associated with growth and prosperity, a growing number of people and communities are now looking for alternatives to growth to enhance their quality of life and well-being at home, at work, or during leisure time. It is these alternative practices and initiatives that Post CC aims to explore further, including through media and literature analysis.

In addition, we will conduct case studies to examine what motivates and characterizes both new and established initiatives that make it possible to live with lower consumption—in neighborhoods, workplaces, and various leisure settings—to identify what we call Post Consumption Citizenship. The research in this project is based on close dialogue and experimentation with various methods to better understand people's experiences, behaviors, associations, opinions, and attitudes toward reduced consumption and well-being. A survey will be conducted with the same group of people at multiple intervals to uncover any changes in behavior and opinions.

Through various methods, Post CC aims to establish a knowledge base to understand what types of resources and infrastructure are necessary to support such changes. The results of the research will be published and disseminated by Post CC to various societal groups, targeting different genders, ethnicities, age groups, and people of different socioeconomic statuses, as well as decision-makers and research communities. Through this, we aim to spread ideas, knowledge, and actions that support this type of citizenship across all areas of life.

The Post CC project is led by NTNU Samfunnsforskning AS, with a budget of six million Norwegian kroner. The project is funded by The Research Council of Norway, and the project group consists of researchers from NTNU Samfunnsforskning AS and NTNU. The project runs from February 1, 2024, to February 1, 2027