Doctoral defence: Anna-Kati Pahker “Measuring industrial modernity in comparative perspective, 1900-2020”

On 14 November at 12:00 Anna-Kati Pahker will defend her doctoral thesis “Measuring industrial modernity in comparative perspective, 1900-2020” for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in media and communication).

Supervisors:    
Associate Professor Laur Kanger, University of Tartu
Associate Professor Mihkel Solvak, University of Tartu

Opponent:
Professor René Kemp, Maastricht University 
(The Netherlands)

Summary

This thesis explores the concept of industrial modernity, a term that characterises the dominant developments in socio-technical systems that have shaped modern societies since the 18th century. The author argues that these systems (e.g., energy, mobility, food), while contributing to significant advancements in human well-being, have also rooted unsustainable ideation, institutional design, and practices, leading to environmental degradation. The dissertation draws on the Deep Transitions framework, which emphasises the need for a fundamental shift – a Second Deep Transition – to address the unsustainability of industrial modernity. 

The research is guided by two main questions: the extent to which continuities and ruptures in industrial modernity can be observed in different countries between 1900 and 2020 and where the onset of the Second Deep Transition is most likely. To answer these, the author draws on three empirical articles.
The first two studies examine the continuities and ruptures in industrial modernity across different countries from 1900 to 2020. The pilot study focuses on Australia, Germany, and the USSR/Russia, while the second study expands to include India and the United States. These studies employ text mining and time series analysis to track changes in ideas, institutions, and practices related to the environment, science, and technology. A general trend across the countries analysed is a shift towards environmental concerns in public discourse and institutions. Yet, the environmental practices and the domain of technoscience remain a dominant focus, with Germany leading the way in many of the transformative developments.

The third study introduces the Industrial Modernity Index (IMI), a composite indicator assessing the current state of industrial modernity in 63 countries. The IMI measures the “thickness” of industrial modernity’s socio-material layer, indicating the structural constraints on the Second Deep Transitions. Out of the countries analysed, the most potential was found in Sweden and the least in Kuwait.

The author concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for sustainability transitions research, sustainability science, and policymaking. The concluding discussion highlights the need to address the persistent influence of industrial modernity. It suggests that a deep sustainability turn requires a fundamental rethinking of prevailing ideas, institutions, and practices, particularly in the domain of technoscience. The author gives practical suggestions for this and future research.