Abstract

This chapter offers a theoretically informed contribution to how agency and subjectivity are key to social sustainability. Social sustainability is part of multi-pillar and multi-dimensional complexity, upholding the importance of human well-being, equality, democratic government, civil society, and learning capacity. Currently, we see an increased interest in the public, pointing at the necessity of more social sustainability. The political and humanitarian focus on strengthening sustainable living is acted upon in various ways that encapsulate agency and subjectivities. Based on published research, this chapter explores and discusses conceptual and empirical roots and examples. Agency is a well-established concept in sociology, management, and cognitive psychology, but it has also recently paved its way to sustainability. As rooted in the psychosocial tradition, subjectivity has likewise been applied to several sustainability theoretical analyses and practice interventions. Thus, juxta positioning agency and subjectivity in their variations open a timely discussion of characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.