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The STEPS Centre (Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability) was an interdisciplinary research centre hosted at the University of Sussex, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. The Centre's research brought together development studies with science and technology studies. It was founded at Portcullis House in London on 25 June 2007. It closed in 2022.

History

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The STEPS Centre (Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability) was an interdisciplinary research centre that was founded at Portcullis House in London on 25 June 2007.[1] It was hosted by the Institute of Development Studies and the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex. It was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

The STEPS Centre described its aim as to "highlight, reveal and contribute to just and democratic pathways to sustainability that include the needs, knowledge and perspectives of poor and marginalised people". The Centre's research combined development studies with science and technology studies.

Professors Ian Scoones and Andy Stirling were the co-directors of the STEPS Centre.[2][3] Professor Melissa Leach stepped down as STEPS director in 2014 to become the Director of the Institute of Development Studies.[4][5][6] The centre closed in 2022.

Areas of work

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The STEPS Centre's research investigated the politics of sustainability in various domains, including climate change, food systems, urbanization, and technology.[7] It focused on the perspectives and needs of marginalized people, particularly in poor countries and settings, as well as methodologies for including these priorities in policy appraisal and decision-making.[8] In the final four years of its research program, the STEPS Centre focused on a series of themes with implications for the politics of sustainability.

Among the STEPS Centre's projects were:

  • Innovation, Sustainability, Development: A New Manifesto (40 years on from the Sussex Manifesto)[9]
  • Crop, disease and innovation in Kenya - Maize and farming system dynamics in areas affected by climate change[10]
  • Urbanisation in Asia - urbanisation and sustainability on the expanding peri-urban fringe of Delhi, India[11]
  • Rethinking regulation - assumptions and realities of drug and seed regulation in China and Argentina[12]
  • Risk, uncertainty and technology - framing and responses to risks and uncertainties in areas of rapid scientific and technological advance[13]
  • Epidemics, livelihoods and politics - HIV-AIDS, SARS, 'avian flu, BSE - procedures for addressing epidemics that support rather than compromise poor people[14]

Pathways approach

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The STEPS Centre's pathways approach to understanding dynamic systems and their governance was outlined in a 2007 paper entitled Pathways to Sustainability: an Overview of the STEPS Centre Approach.[15][16] The paper laid out the ingredients of the STEPS Centre's work, including linking diverse social and natural science perspectives, connecting theory, policy and practice and an engaged, interactive approach to communications.

Further reading

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  • Bloom, G., Edström, J., Leach, Melissa, Lucas, H., MacGregor, H., Standing, H., and Waldman, L. (2007). Health in a Dynamic World. ISBN 978-1-85864-654-1.
  • Krätli, S. (2008).Time to outbreed animal science? A cattle-breeding system exploiting structural unpredictability: the WoDaaBe herders in Niger. ISBN 9781858646995 {{isbn}}: Check isbn value: checksum (help).
  • Leach, Melissa, Bloom, G., Ely, A., Nightingale, P., Scoones, Ian, Shah, E., and Smith, A. (2007). Understanding Governance: pathways to sustainability. ISBN 978-1-85864-651-0.
  • Leach. Melissa, and Scoones, Ian, and Stirling, A. (2007). Pathways to Sustainability: an overview of the STEPS Centre approach. ISBN 978-1-85864-656-5.
  • Leach. Melissa and Scoones, Ian and Stirling, A. (2010). Dynamic Sustainabilities: Technology, Environment, Social Justice. ISBN 978-1-84971-093-0.
  • Mehta, L., Marshall, F., Movik, S., Stirling, A., Shah, E., Smith, A., and Thompson, J. (2007). Liquid Dynamics: challenges for sustainability in water and sanitation. ISBN 978-1-85864-655-8.
  • Scoones, Ian, Leach, M., Smith, A., Stagl, S., Stirling, A., and Thompson, J. (2007). Dynamics: Dynamic Systems and the Challenge of Sustainability. ISBN 978-1-85864-650-3.
  • Stirling, A., Leach, Melissa, Mehta, L., Scoones, I., Smith, A., Stagl, S., and Thompson, J. (2007). Empowering Designs: towards more progressive appraisal of sustainability. ISBN 978-1-85864-652-7/
  • Thompson, J., Millstone, E., Scoones, Ian, Ely, A., Marshall, F., Shah, E., and Stagl, S. (2007). Agri-food System Dynamics: pathways to sustainability in an era of uncertainty. ISBN 978-1-85864-653-4.

References

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  1. ↑ "Steps towards better development". The Guardian. 26 June 2007. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Ian Scoones". Institute of Development Studies. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Lee, Andrew. "Interview: Path-finder." The Engineer (2 July 2007). Arichived from the original on 29 August 2009.
  4. ↑ Shepherd, Jessica (17 July 2007). "Melissa Leach: Village voice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Shetty, Priya (June 2008). "Perspectives: Melissa Leach". The Lancet. 371 (9630): 2077. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60906-X. ISSN 0140-6736. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011.
  6. ↑ "Prof Melissa Leach appointed director of IDS". STEPS Centre Blog. 5 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "Research". STEPS Centre. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Methods". STEPS Centre. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Oxley, Nathan (9 February 2014). "Innovation, Sustainability, Development: A New Manifesto". STEPS Centre. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Environmental change and maize innovations in Kenya". STEPS Centre. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Urbanisation in Asia: the peri-urban interface and sustainability of south Asian cities". STEPS Centre. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Rethinking Regulation: seeds and drugs in China and Argentina". STEPS Centre. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Day, Julia (29 November 2011). "Risk, uncertainty and technology in India". STEPS Centre. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  14. ↑ Day, Julia (23 October 2011). "Epidemics: pathways of disease and response". STEPS Centre. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  15. ↑ STEPSCentre (12 March 2021). Animation: What are Pathways to Sustainability?. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ Leech, Melissa; Scoones, Ian; Stirling, Andy (2007). "Pathways to sustainability: an overview of the STEPS Centre approach". STEPS Approach Paper. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020.
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