Making Practice Theory Practicable - Assignment Example

SXU3006 – ESSAY ONE By Theorizing consumption, especially in relation to transforming practices associated with problematic environmental impacts, has been increasingly been taken into account while applying social practice theory. This paper seeks to analyze ways through which Sahakian and Wilhite (2014) linked theory to practice in the article, particularly through the use of empirical examples. It further seeks discuss the shortcomings in putting practice to theory and finally show ways that theory can build upon existing ideas to develop a more practicable approach to research. Ways through which the Authors Linked Theory to Practice in the Article. Through different boundaries, for example national, international or regional boundaries, consumption patterns have been qualified and quantified for various kinds of resources and categories and in relation to environmental impacts (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). The authors link theory to practice in the article through various ways. First, they link the two through routine and habits in social norms or practices. From this perspective the most concern is how to reshape dispositions in moving to a more sustainable society (Campell 2012). Habits in this case are defined as practices that are recurrent and consistent as produced by suitably committed practitioners. The authors in using habit to link theory and practice use a number of empirical examples. First the authors consider an example of consumption of bottled water in London restaurants. Contrary to meat and dairy products, bottled water is considered as one of the most insignificant contributor to environmental harm in the food and beverage consumption category (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). According to the article, bottled water ranked 20th in a study of five hundred categories in relation to environmental impact. In 2007, the mayor of London and Thames Water launched a campaign called London on Tap campaign to promote consumption of tap water provided by local utility company. The campaign also categorically indicated that bottled water has no health advantages. To further discredit bottled water, the campaign claimed that bottled water releases up to three hundred more carbon dioxide for every liter as compared to tap water (Aven 2012). The campaign reduced the use of bottled water by 8% during the summer of 2008. A research undertaken on behalf of the campaign then found that contrary to the campaigns intentions, it was not easy for clients of London restaurants to as for tap water while dinning out (Akella 2009). The research revealed that requesting for tap water was considered by some as socially unacceptable. The study, therefore, reveals hoe social norms influence disposition for restaurants practices. Therefore, in a specific social atmosphere, in this case represented by London restaurants, the unspoken social rule regarding the ordering of bottled water in restaurants influenced its consumption (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). To replace bottled water and maintain social positive attitude, a designer carafe was introduced. The use of carafe was therefore seen as a new means of communicating environmentally sound and stylish consumption preferences. In the article, the theory is also linked into practice through distributed agency in social practices (Halkier, Katz-Gerro, & Martens 2011). The authors argue that stubbornness of habits are a function of how deeply anchored the habits are in relation to what they call the body, material world and social world. A change in not less than two of the pillars would lead to dissolution of habit. A change in a pillar can be inform of introducing technology or influencing cognitive processes through awareness-building campaigns (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). The authors use consumption of high-fat foods in Oklahoma City as an empirical example in linking theory to practice in this case. Consumption of refined foods, high-fat foods and those that originate from animals has a great effect on increasing world obesity, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. In 2007, the city of Oklahoma was rated number two on the group of nation’s fattest cities by Men’s Fitness magazine (Burgess 2012). The negative image associated with the negative tittle led the mayor of the city to embark on a campaign prioritizing health as a main concern. The problem was addressed as not rooted in individual behaviors but a problem associated with the planning and configuration of Oklahoma City, where development was centered on the use of automobiles (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). The bodily exercise thus reduced tremendously as the city transport system evolved around automobiles. The mayor through his office embarked on a campaign and developed infrastructure that enabled walking and biking in daily routines. The Mayor’s campaign was fixed into public policy decisions on planning and designing the City (Fischer 2011). These policies on infrastructure development have triggered changes in urban transport in ways the positively impact fitness. Apart from policies on infrastructure, the Mayor also started a community of practice around healthy food referred to as ‘City on a Diet’ (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). The campaign sole purpose was getting the population of the city as a whole to lose one million pounds in weight, starting with the Mayor himself (Aven 2012). The campaign was a success by early 2012 for the whole City with the mayor himself losing thirty-eight pounds since 2007 April. The well-established office of the Mayor acted as an agency of social practice through which the authors linked theory into practice clearly. The authors also linked theory into practice through social learning as a form of initiation into new communities of practice (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). Learning in this case includes broad understanding the topic of interest, then participation in the practice. Social learning approach therefore requires an acknowledgement of culture of consumption and how it is reflected in social practices (Pendry, Driscoll, & Field 2008). In this way, the authors used introduction of local food consumption in Geneva, Switzerland, as an empirical example. Revival of localized food supply as manifested through great number of local food market has been on the rise. Natasha one of the interested entrepreneurs in distributing local food in Geneva began offering monthly vegetable baskets in her neighborhood (Campell 2012). When customers accept what she provide from the local farmers and indeed by natural cycles of seasons in a given month, residents get to get much time at their disposal. The services also help the clients in hustling what to eat and shop for in stores (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). Through platform like the one provide by Natasha, more people translate this public experience into home arena by cooking and preparing similar recipes with local products. Shortcomings the Authors Address in Putting Practice Theory into Practice The empirical examples used to link theory into practice above serve to strengthen the study’s conceptual work, not only in presenting what’s available, but also by indicating what is lacking. The authors address various shortcomings in putting practice theory into practice as explained below. The first shortcoming is that of identifying a practice and related practices while avoiding the rebound effect (Akella 2009). Contrary to most many efforts to reach environmental targets, which mostly focus too narrowly on the specific resource of concern, a practice approach takes into account of different social practices that can be related to a particular area of environmental concern. The approach therefore helps in addressing the rebound effect (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). A practice approach understands that practices are interrelated, change in one can influence change in another (Campbell 2012). The authors therefore address the rebound effect through social practice theory, which is also based on the argument in environmental studies that a more holistic view of resource consumption must be promoted (Halkier, Katz-Gerro, & Martens 2011). The theory helps in addressing rebound effect clearly by acknowledging that practices are interrelated and must be viewed as a system not an isolate case. The authors also help in solving the problem of harnessing the distributed nature of agency over more than one element of practice (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). The authors demonstrated how different pillars of practice are brought together in effort towards sustainable consumption. Within a particular practice, the authors presented an evolution of where learning might occur (Burgess 2012). The authors therefore accounted for all aspects that demonstrate agency. For example by introduction of new technology, by bringing an unspoken norm into public debate and demonstrating different ways of undertaking daily practices (Pendry, Driscoll, & Field 2008). The pitfall addressed by the authors here therefore was focusing on just one aspect of a practice. This shortcoming was addressed focusing in combination of learning opportunities across the practice. In putting practice theory into practice, the authors also help addressing the problem of recognizing that agentive power is relative (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). This problem is presented by the fact that agency may be distributed across dimensions of a practice but some contribution to practice may have more power than others to enhance change (Fischer 2011). For example discussing norms and changing products was seen to be easier in the public domain. This discussion was done with the hope that a change in drinking habits in restaurants might then influence the way people consume water in their homes. Last but not least, the authors also help in addressing the problem with setting priorities and quantifying results (Campell 2012). For example community efforts such as Les Mangeurs aimed at goal clearly defined goals of reducing waste and promoting local consumption. Ways through which the Theory can build upon Existing Ideas to develop a more Practicable Approach to Research The theory can build on various existing ideas in developing a more practicable approach to research. For example to avoid oversimplification of the practice approach, the theory should outline a series of pitfalls to avoid (Aven 2012). The theory can also take into account dimensions of space and time which add further complexity to social practice theory (Sahakian & Wilhite 2014). One of the most significant ways to build upon exiting ideas to develop a more a practicable approach to research is to first uncover practices and their related practices. The theory can also do the same by acknowledging the fact that within a framework a change might occur by identifying opportunities and space of learning within practice (Akella 2014). Doing this helps solve problem of rigidity in practice. The theory can on also build on existing ideas by considering the importance and complexity of setting priorities when it comes to qualifying and quantifying the environmental impact of different practices. Bibliography Akella, D 2009, Theory to Practice: Practice to Theory. Organization Management Journal, 14 (2): 75-75. Aven, T 2012, Foundations of risk analysis. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Burgess, A 2010, Flattering Consumption: Creating a Europe of the consumer. Journal of Consumer Culture, 20 (3): 93-117. Campbell, H 2012, Theory and Practice Should Mix. Journal Planning Theory & Practice, 24 (4):125-125. Fischer, P 2011, Putting Theory into Practice. Journal of Women & Therapy, 24 (5): 101-109. Halkier, B., Katz-Gerro, T., & Martens, L 2011, Applying practice theory to the study of consumption: Theoretical and methodological considerations. Journal of Consumer Culture, 29 (4): 3-13. Pendry, L., Driscoll, D., & Field, S 2008, Diversity Training: Putting Theory into Practice. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 28 (3): 27-50. Sahakian, M, and Wilhite, H 2014, Making Practice Theory Practicable: Towards More Sustainable Forms of Consumption. Journal of Consumer Culture, 14 (1): 25-44. Read More