The hygienic transition from cesspools to sewer systems (1840-1930): the dynamics of regime transformation

By Frank W. Geels. 2006

298 citations recorded by the source corpus.

This article addresses the topic of transition and system change, and proposes endogenous regime transformation as alternative transition path to technological substitution. Using sociological and institutional insights, the dynamics of regime transformation are conceptualised. Two characteristics are pressure from outsider groups and adjustments in cognitions, norms and formal rules, enacted by regime insiders. The transformation perspective is illustrated with a historical case study, the hygienic transition from cesspools to integrated sewer systems in The Netherlands. The case study is used to make additions to the transformation perspective, particularly with regard to tactical and strategic games

Subfields: Global and Planetary Change, Ocean Engineering

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ad97726bdf8c880d3cc2a27e06101c8f8fd9d890

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Citations in the corpus

Desperately seeking niches: Grassroots innovations and niche development in the community currency field (2013, background): “…between niche, regime and landscape is a feature of many of the historical case studies that have operationalised the Multi-Level Perspective (e.g. Geels, 2005, 2006), and regime destabilisation has been highlighted as an important opportunity for niche solutions to be adopted more widely:…”
A coevolutionary framework for analysing a transition to a sustainable low carbon economy (2011, background): “from sailing ships to steam ships (Geels, 2002); systemic changes in the Dutch electricity system (Verbong and Geels, 2007); from horse-drawn to automobile transport systems (Geels, 2005b); from cesspools to sewer systems (Geels, 2006); and biogas development in Denmark (Geels and Raven, 2007).”
The enactment of socio-technical transition pathways: A reformulated typology and a comparative multi-level analysis of the German and UK low-carbon electricity transitions (1990–2014) (2016, background): “These reformulated pathways go beyond traditional dichotomies and provide a more nuanced analytical apparatus to”
Deep transitions: Emergence, acceleration, stabilization and directionality (2018, unknown): “…(Meadowcroft, 2005; Smith et al., 2005; Smith and Stirling, 2007; Genus and Coles, 2008; Hodson and Marvin, 2010): these issues were taken up in subsequent studies (Van Driel and Schot, 2005; Geels, 2006, 2014; Elzen et al., 2011; Penna and Geels, 2012; Baker et al., 2014; Kanger and Schot, 2016).”
Technological discontinuities and the challenge for incumbent firms: destruction, disruption or creative accumulation? (2013, background): “" (Geels, 2006, p. 1078) In creative accumulation, the existing knowledge base can be seen as a basis for expanding the available choices of firms, rather than a source of inertia (cf. King and Tucci, 2002).”
Transformation of Infrastructures: Sector Characteristics and Implications for Fundamental Change (2011, background): “In the field of infrastructure sectors, examples include the establishment of water supply and sewer systems in the Netherlands (Geels 2005; Geels 2006), a study on the interaction of different infrastructure sectors (Konrad et al.”
Multi-regime dynamics in the analysis of sectoral transformation potentials: evidence from German utility sectors (2008, background): “Typical examples are the transition from gas to electricity in lighting, from pumps and surface waters to piped water in water provision or from cesspools to integrated sewer systems in sanitation [13-15].”
Functions in innovation systems: A framework for analysing energy system dynamics and identifying goals for system-building activities by entrepreneurs and policy makers (2008, background): “7 The regime concept is situated at the level of organizational fields (Geels, 2006), which ”primarily deals with the nature of relations among nodes within a social space, in the same vein as concepts, such as ‘industry systems’ .”
Dynamics in socio-technical systems : typology of change processes and contrasting case studies (2007, background): “People commonly relieved their bowels 1 This section draws on Geels (2006b) .”
Rethinking the multi-level perspective of technological transitions (2008, background): “Geels and Schot (2005) identify 5 transition paths plus a path which does not represent a truly ‘radical’ transition, but rather system renewal characterised by constant incremental innovation: Transformation – socio-technical regimes that change without recourse to one dominant technology (e.g. in ”
The dynamics of sustainable innovation journeys (2008, background): “…were addressed through a hygienic transition, which involved technical changes in water supply, sewer systems, housing and food, as well as behavioural changes in washing, bathing, relieving oneself, and cooking, and institutional innovations in local government and service provision (Geels 2006).”