SSH Energy 2024

Narrative, normative, persuasive – How SSH energy shapes imaginable transitions

SSH Energy Poster

The 4TH Swiss Social Sciences and Humanities Energy Research Workshop (SSH Energy), welcomed the new SWEET consortium, “Co-Evolution and Coordinated Simulation of the Swiss Energy System and Swiss Society" (external page CoSi), on board. This year’s workshop focused on “Narrative, normative, persuasive – How SSH energy shapes imaginable transitions”. The workshop was an opportunity for researchers, practitioners and policymakers to share perspectives and insights on the societal implications, discourses, and transformation processes required to transition to a more sustainable energy system. It also provided a timely opportunity to discuss current societal and political developments, such as the implications of the decision on the Federal Act for secure energy supply with renewable energy (“Mantelerlass”), that took place on 9 June 2024.

Energy has rightly become one of the most pressing global issues demanding collective action. Since 2022, three successful SSH Energy workshops have taken place, opening a forum to discuss the relevance of SSH research on the energy transition. In the 2024 SSH Energy workshop, CoSi seeked to consolidate a platform for exchange to link various disciplines, develop a common understanding, and achieve a co-creation process with stakeholders. As a bridge-maker, CoSi gathers and intermingles different stakeholders and energy research communities to co-design sustainable and innovative energy approaches. We seeked to analyse, reflect on and reinforce the role that arts, humanities and social sciences have following recent discussions on materialities and ontological politics in STS and humanities . This is accompanied by a recent volume collecting contributions to the energy research debate from the Swiss Social Sciences and Humanities Energy Research Group.

We welcomed all scholars within and beyond social sciences, humanities, arts and inter- and transdisciplinary research, practitioners and policymakers keen to engage in these discussions. Early career researchers were especially welcome to participate!

Organising Committee

The 4TH Swiss Social Sciences and Humanities Energy Research Workshop (SSH Energy) was organised by CoSi Consortium and the Cultural Studies of Science and Technology Group (CSTS) in the Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab), ETH Zurich.

  • PD Dr. Bianca Vienni-Baptista (CSTS Group lead, TdLab, ETH Zurich)
  • Dr. Stephanie Briers (CSTS, TdLab, ETH Zurich)
  • Dr. Annika Sohre (University of Basel)
  • MSc. Konstanty Ramotowski (CSTS, TdLab, ETH Zurich)
  • Victoria Herbig (CSTS Group, TdLab, ETH Zurich)

Scientific Committee

  • Prof. Dr. Michael Stauffacher (TdLab, ETH Zurich)
  • Prof. Dr. Isabelle Stadelmann (University of Bern)
  • Prof. Dr. Christian Pohl (TdLab, ETH Zurich)
  • Dr. Hugo Caviola (University of Bern)
  • Dr. Yann Blumer (ZHAW School of Management and Law)
  • Dr. Devon Wemyss (ZHAW School of Management and Law)
  • Dr. Annika Sohre (University of Basel)
  • Dr. Gracia Brückmann (University of Bern)
  • Dr. Valentino Piana (HES-SO Valais-Wallis)
  • PD Dr. Bianca Vienni-Baptista (CSTS Group, ETH Zurich)
  • Dr. Stephanie Briers (CSTS Group, ETH Zurich)

Contact: for queries please contact Stephanie Briers (stephanie.briers@usys.ethz.ch)

organising institutions