The point of departure for this thesis is a case study of Linköping University and its goal to reduce air travel carbon emissions by 30% by 2024 compared to the year 2019 level. The aim of this study is to identify aspects that influence current academic work-related travel behaviour within the “Three spheres of transformation” to explore how changes on different levels would support or hinder the implementation of the air travel carbon emission reduction goal. As human activities have been distinctly linked to climate change, it can be justified to address human behaviour concerning climate change mitigation mechanisms. To fulfil the research aim, interviews with Linköping University’s employees were conducted and the results were analysed by applying the “Three spheres of transformation” framework and the main findings from the human behaviour field. Several aspects that affect travel behaviour were identified in all three spheres of transformation that are interconnected. This study concludes that such aspects as increased data availability concerning each employee’s air travel carbon footprint to increase the understanding of the current situation and the shift in academic structures, especially in such aspects as internationalization and academic networking that can determine researcher evaluation criteria, can support the implementation of the goal. In addition to that, the shift in paradigms regarding academic success and travel in general, as well as the understanding of how these drivers affect human behaviour, can significantly support the implementation of the University’s goal and ensure a long-term change.

One major societal issue in our time is regarding the creation of a sustainable society. Both international intergovernmental organizations such as the UN and EU, as well as nations, have goals that include climate neutrality and descriptions of measures for implementing societal transformations. This study aims to describe and analyse how textbooks in social studies portray the phenomenon of societal transformation, both based on the premise that a transformation is currently underway, and how past transformations are used for future guidance. The study applies an idea-analytical method by using systems theory, historical institutionalism, and historical consciousness. This, to conceptualize the textbooks' respective representations of societal transformations, from both contemporary and historical perspectives. The results show both similarities and differences regarding the textbooks' relationship to the phenomenon of societal transformation. Significant differences are found regarding the factors of speed and scale; only two of the five textbooks studied can be interpreted as closely aligned with the goals set by the UN, EU, and Sweden as a nation. The textbooks' use of historical perspectives demonstrates clear differences, as well as the types of measures presented and their impact on the societal system. Thus, there are inconsistencies regarding the depiction of society and its future, as well as the depiction arising from the empirical material

This thesis examines the transformative potential of grassroots movements for sustainability and thus asks how citizen-led initiatives can contribute the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda. In focus is the permaculture movement and its efforts to promote small-scale farming in balance with ecological systems and principles. The study draws upon an ethnographic study of the permaculture farm Kosters Trädgårdar, located on the west coast of Sweden. Through extended participant observation and four interviews with owners and workers at Kosters Trädgårdar, this thesis seeks to identify the transformative visions, practices and agents mobilized by the permaculture movement. Although permaculture has a strong ecological heritage and is closely tied to small-scale farming practices, this study identifies a shift in the meaning of the term as explained hereafter. The experiences of Kosters Trädgårdar indicate that the cultivation of social community and alternative livelihoods is an equally important aspect of the permaculture movement that holds significant transformative potential. By inviting multiple actors to participate in and learn from the farming practices, and to enjoy and socialize around ecological food, Kosters Trädgårdar is effectively building local community and spreading its visions of sustainable food production beyond the circuits of the farm. Although we should not over-estimate the upscaling potential of local experiences, this permaculture farm emerges as a site of grassroot innovation, experimentation and learning and may hereby function as a testbed for the grand transformative visions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.