Germany's Energy Transition "Energiewende": Turning Social Value Systems?

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorHawkins, Richard William
dc.contributor.authorSadeghi Esfahlani, Mohammad
dc.contributor.committeememberLayzell, David B.
dc.contributor.committeememberSaunders, Chad W.
dc.date2019-11
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-16T22:35:47Z
dc.date.available2019-05-16T22:35:47Z
dc.date.issued2019-05-13
dc.description.abstractEnergiewende is a German compound word for energy transition. This dissertation utilizes the term as a linguistic device to navigate the discourse of Germany’s energy transition and to reconstruct its dynamics, particularly in terms of associated social value systems. The concept of value is limited to monetary profit in the first innovation theory ‘entrepreneurship’ paradigm. In the subsequent technological paradigm, the value of innovation was conceived as commercial diffusion and society as a market. The recent ‘transformative change’ paradigm has shifted towards social values, pursued through supranational institutions. However, recent European Commission studies fall short of investigating the social dimension of the challenges of Energiewende and remain focused on economic dimensions. This dissertation builds on alternative approaches in communication theory and anthropology to theorize value, particularly in the context of innovation. Furthermore, it builds on approaches in innovation studies drawn from structural linguistics to identify and trace the dynamics of value systems in texts. On this basis, narrative and textual analysis were employed to trace the diffusion of Energiewende, reconstruct associated value systems and their evolutionary dynamics, and assess the influence of institutional actors. Findings challenge the predictions of diffusionist innovation theories and demonstrate a case where the diffusion of an idea was supported by the social landscape. Associated value systems include economic and environmental values, which are the most diverse and the most predominant, respectively. However, it is the social values that supplement the missing dimension of the transformative change paradigm. Specifically, the evolution of values, such as decentralization, social justice and social change, challenges theoretical projections. Likewise, the engagement of institutional actors with evolution processes also challenge entrepreneurship theories. Based on findings, a short story of Energiewende has been reconstructed, summarizing the evolution of associated concepts and the role of actors. As it turns out, the diffusion of Energiewende and the evolution of its value systems have been turbulent processes, including several pivotal “turns.” Thereby, this dissertation makes theoretical and methodological contributions to the fields of energy transition, innovation and communication studies. Furthermore, a plethora of technical and historical insights provide material for further explorations.en_US
dc.identifier.citationSadeghi Esfahlani, M. (2019). Germany's Energy Transition "Energiewende": Turning Social Value Systems? (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/36538
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/110366
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArtsen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectEnergiewendeen_US
dc.subjectinnovationen_US
dc.subjectvalue systemsen_US
dc.subjectcommunicationsen_US
dc.subjectnarrativeen_US
dc.subjectNVivo 11 Plusen_US
dc.subjectauto-codingen_US
dc.subjectco-locationen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Language and Literatureen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Social Sciencesen_US
dc.subject.classificationLanguageen_US
dc.subject.classificationPhilosophyen_US
dc.subject.classificationAnthropologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationEconomics--Historyen_US
dc.subject.classificationEconomics--Theoryen_US
dc.subject.classificationSociology--Theory and Methodsen_US
dc.subject.classificationEnvironmental Sciencesen_US
dc.subject.classificationEnergyen_US
dc.titleGermany's Energy Transition "Energiewende": Turning Social Value Systems?en_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineCommunication and Media Studiesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
ucalgary_2019_sadeghi-esfahlani_mohammad.pdf
Size:
8.71 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Main thesis file
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
ucalgary_2019_sadeghi-esfahlani_mohammad_appendixf.xlsx
Size:
113.64 KB
Format:
Microsoft Excel
Description:
Appendix F (Background data, snapshots included in main thesis)
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.74 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Open Theses and Dissertations