1. STEPS Centre ‘Pathways Methods’
helping appreciate alternative pathways
Andy Stirling
SPRU & STEPS Centre
University of Sussex
presentation to conference session on Nexus Methods
ESRC Methods Festival
University of Bath
5th
July 2016
www.steps-centre.org/
www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/
www.multicriteriamapping.com
www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/people/peoplelists/person/7513
7. Help Appreciate Alternative Pathways
Overall Aims
Method alone can’t do whole job: also involves encompassing process
8. Help Appreciate Alternative Pathways
Method underpins both understanding and judgement; knowledge and action
Method alone can’t do whole job: also involves encompassing process
Overall Aims
9. Help Appreciate Alternative Pathways
Method underpins both understanding and judgement; knowledge and action
Critical focus on alternatives: reflecting and favouring marginal interests
Method alone can’t do whole job: also involves encompassing process
Overall Aims
10. STEPS Methodology:
An ordered repertoire of conditionally-appropriate methods
Help Appreciate Alternative Pathways
Method underpins both understanding and judgement; knowledge and action
Critical focus on alternatives: reflecting and favouring marginal interests
Repertoires: sensitive to context, positioning and plural views and pathways
Method alone can’t do whole job: also involves encompassing process
Overall Aims
11. Intervention histories / futures - narratives, interventions, futures
Innovation histories - deep history, broad of innovation
Deliberative / Multicriteria mapping - values, knowledges, pathways
Open Space Technology - diversity, passion, responsibility
Participatory Impact Pathways Analysis - planning, monitoring, impacts
Participatory Rural Appraisal - empowering marginal voices
Participatory Scenarios - alternative views of drivers of change
Photovoice - participants is the researcher
Q Method - makes contrasting discourses visible
Scientometric Mapping - makes research more accountable
Sensitivity Analysis - destabilises technocratic modelling
Sociotechnical Imaginaries - pluralises foundations for politics
System Histories - grounded contrasts in system frames
Some Indicative Examples
16. ENGAGE
ACTORS
help appreciate alternative pathwaysBASIC STEPS
EXPLORE
NARRATIVES
CHARACTERISE
DYNAMICS
REVEAL
STRATEGIES
A: ENGAGE ACTORS - together:
1: review relevant histories
2: analyse associated networks
3: snowball salient interests
4: prioritise most marginal
5: examine power relations
6: identify basic pathway visions
7: be alert for hidden plurality
8: seek critical feedback
17. KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
Looking at alternative pathways for
agricultural livelihoods around Sakai and
Mmbasu in East & West Provinces of Kenya
Involving STEPs with
African Centre for Technology Studies
Centre for African Bio-Entrepreneurship
Tegemeo Institute, Egerton University
images and results courtesy of John Thompson, et al, STEPS
A: ENGAGE ACTORS - together:
1: review relevant histories
2: analyse associated networks
3: snowball salient interests
4: prioritise most marginal
5: examine power relations
6: identify basic pathway visions
7: be alert for hidden plurality
8: seek critical feedback
18. KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
A: ENGAGE ACTORS - together:
1: review relevant histories
2: analyse associated networks
3: snowball salient interests
4: prioritise most marginal
5: examine power relations
6: identify basic pathway visions
7: be alert for hidden plurality
8: seek critical feedback
Scoping interviews
Historic panel data
Trends analysis
Rapid rural appraisals
Focus groups
Key informant interviews
Disaggregate gender, wealth, productivity
Focus on
5 “low potential” villages (Sakai)
also 3 “high potential” villages (Mmbasu)
19. B: EXPLORE NARRATIVES
1: review relevant histories
2: elicit notions of systems
3: explore related framings
4: address Sustainability values
5: scope possible pathways
6: review aspects of incertitude
7: differentiate perspectives
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
Explore framings: particularly
ideas about
‘resilience’, ‘innovation’ and
‘pathways‘
Test concepts in relation to
environmental change and
maize in Kenya
20. B: EXPLORE NARRATIVES
1: review relevant histories
2: elicit notions of systems
3: explore related framings
4: address Sustainability values
5: scope possible pathways
6: review aspects of incertitude
7: differentiate perspectives
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
Low Maize High Maize
Low-
External
Input
High-
External
Input
21. B: EXPLORE NARRATIVES
1: review relevant histories
2: elicit notions of systems
3: explore related framings
4: address Sustainability values
5: scope possible pathways
6: review aspects of incertitude
7: differentiate perspectives
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
Low Maize High Maize
Low-
External
Input
High-
External
Input
22. C CHARACTERISE DYNAMICS:
1: review relevant histories
2: explore challenges/opportunities
3: scrutinise likely shocks/stresses
4: look at actors’ strength/weakness
5: examine decision/branch points
6: identify winners/losers
7: attend to issues of power/politics
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
Alternative dryland staples
for subsistence
Alternative dryland staples
for market
Local improvement of
local maize
Assisted seed
multiplication of maize
Assisted seed multiplication
of alternative dryland staples
Individual high-value crop
commercialization
Group-based high-value crop
commercialization
Commercial delivery of new
DT maize varieties
Public delivery of new DT
maize varieties
23. C CHARACTERISE DYNAMICS:
1: review relevant histories
2: explore challenges/opportunities
3: scrutinise likely shocks/stresses
4: look at actors’ strength/weakness
5: examine decision/branch points
6: identify winners/losers
7: attend to issues of power/politics
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
pathways served as starting point for opening
up the discussion with farmers, scientists and
policy makers on:
Diversity of pathways in and out of maize
Relevant criteria for choosing one pathway
over another
Alternative visions of the future and
institutional support arrangements
24. REVEAL
STRATEGIES
D: REVEAL POLITICAL ACTIONS
1: review relevant histories
2: confirm key protagonists
3: explore forms of agency
4: define possible interventions
5: identify coping strategies
6: examine possible responses
7: establish accountabilities
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
Quantitative and qualitative data from
multicriteria mapping
Interviews and group discussions prompted by
this process
25. REVEAL
STRATEGIES
D: REVEAL POLITICAL ACTIONS
1: review relevant histories
2: confirm key protagonists
3: explore forms of agency
4: define possible interventions
5: identify coping strategies
6: examine possible responses
7: establish accountabilities
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
26. REVEAL
STRATEGIES
D: REVEAL POLITICAL ACTIONS
1: review relevant histories
2: confirm key protagonists
3: explore forms of agency
4: define possible interventions
5: identify coping strategies
6: examine possible responses
7: establish accountabilities
8: seek critical feedback
KENYA MAIZE RESILIENCE
27. Pathways Out of Maize: Orphans or Siblings?
Performance rankings for different groups of stakeholders shows a
surprising amount of optimism about alternative dryland staple crops,
especially under a set of stress tolerance criteria
28. Pathways in Maize:
Sakai farmer performance rankings show a preference for local
maize, not new maize
29. broadening out
opening up
STEPS Methodology A framework for balancing power and
making space for political action
to help build alternative pathways
Notes de l'éditeur
roland: analytic believe in method, intuitive believe in results
Abstract
The governance of science and technology is conditioned by some pervasive fallacies and fantasies. None are more extensive or deeply embedded, than those concerning the ability of human agency deliberately to control key features of interest in the world. Aspects and implications of the associated dilemmas arise both in the ways knowledge itself is understood, as well as the styles of intervention that society seeks to undertake. Common to both areas, are the neglected dynamics of power - encouraging exaggeration both of the quality of knowledge and the tractability of action.
Focusing on the example of energy systems, this talk will quickly review some of the practical policy implications. It will argue for attention to a range of neglected 'broader based' methods for 'opening up' policy appraisal of energy systems. It will also conclude for greater attention to governance strategies that do not depend on claims and aspirations to control. Again, some practical implications will be discussed relating to resilience rather than stability in energy systems and transformation rather than deterministic transition. In all these respects, a concrete energy policy strategy that repeatedly comes to the fore is that of deliberate diversification.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.
The four distinct stages in this process are overlapping and mutually co-constituting. The logical sequence is therefore heuristic. The actual practice is more iterative and recursive.
Each stage includes a number of discrete tasks. Tasks can be met in different ways. All are relevant in any context. But not all tasks are equally crucial in all contexts. So roles and styles of adopted methods may differ radically.
Any ‘broadening out’ or ‘opening up’ of social appreciations of alternative pathways must in some way consider all these stages and tasks and thoroughly address a majority of tasks defined in each stage.