(Counter)productive hope: Scrutinising the role of hope in sustainability
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Today, we witness a constant search for hope amidst global struggles. In the face of uncertainty and unpredictability, hope appears as a vehicle for building a better tomorrow. Especially in the context of global sustainability discussions, hope has been appealing; it has been seen as a forward-taking and action-generating force. Hope has also gained increasing interest in social scientific scholarship aiming to understand our sustainability challenges and the future of humanity, among other questions. Drawing on the scholarly discussions, this paper critically probes the links between sustainability and hope. It asks, to what extent can the cultivation of hope, aimed at building sustainable futures, be counterproductive? By focusing on two aspects of hope, namely temporality and (in)action, the paper brings forth the multifaceted nature of hope. This equivocality characterises hope and, as such, makes it utilisable for various ends. Hope, per se , can turn out to be harmful by preventing transformation or by bypassing the present sustainability concerns. • Hope should not be perceived only as forward-taking and empowering. • Hope’s future gaze can work to bypass present concerns. • Hope enables inaction and the evasion of responsibility in sustainability issues. • Hope is always multifaceted and facilitates use and abuse.
Source: Futures
Authors: Marjo Lindroth, Heidi Sinevaara-Niskanen
Institution: University of Lapland
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,370
OpenAlex ID: W7083323755