This thesis departs from the assumption that the current socio-ecological crises require new and alternative imaginaries as well as lifestyle changes. Following a qualitative research method, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with eco-community members and analysed thematically to determine their motivations, values and beliefs, and search for a potential common imaginary. As imaginaries shape behaviours, they also have the potential to motivate change. It is argued in this thesis that eco-community members are actively implementing local transformative change according to their alternative imaginaries. Results show that eco-community members think of imaginaries as primarily personal and that their implementation of change is turned towards the individual and local scale. This thesis explores both theoretical perspectives such as utopias, third places, autonomy and also practices like permaculture and education on sustainable lifestyles. Ultimately, this study shows how hope is rooted in the tangible actions of some citizens who are already working to create desirable futures.

In recent years, there has been a shift in interest in travel, toward an increasing interest in sustainable travel and alternative forms of travel. As a result, there is also an interest in research studying these alternative travel concepts. Therefore, this qualitative study looks at experiences in ecovillages, focusing on volunteer workers. It examines the effects of the ecovillages that influence these volunteers to become environmental stewards. For this purpose, the concept of place attachment, as the connection to the place and the people within the ecovillage, is used. As well as the concept of transformative learning, i.e., the change of views and orientations of the participants of the learning program. To get a better overview of the context of the case study, the literature on voluntourism and voluntourism in the global north (due to the location of the case study), as well as on communities and eco-communities will be examined. The case study is an ecovillage in Ireland, located in Cloughjordan, the middle of Ireland. There, 11 in-depth interviews and observations were conducted, and the volunteers were interviewed about their experiences and their time in the ecovillage. The results of this study suggest three ways in which volunteers are influenced by their ecovillage experiences to become environmental stewards. On the one hand, this is the case due to the recognition of the importance of the developed soft skills. As this is learning for oneself and improving communication with other people. Furthermore, by learning with and from each other, the volunteers are led to take stewardship actions. Finally, it is also the community itself that manages to implement stewardship among the volunteers through the way of life and togetherness and the high value of environmental actions through place attachment.