The social nature of materials. A brief overview and two case studies concerning the Energy transition context

Laboratorio di Scienze della Cittadinanza (LSC), Via Pasubio 2, Italy

^a Corresponding author: andrea.declich@yahoo.it

Received: 27 September 2016
Accepted: 6 January 2017

Abstract

The article deals with some of the implications of the “social nature” of materials. Particularly, the energy transition has been adopted as a particularly relevant analytical context for an in-depth reflection on the “social nature” of materials and on how such a nature manifests itself. A theoretical analysis providing an overview of some concepts relevant for the “society and materials” issue has been proposed as well as two case studies have been presented and discussed. The two case studies concerned the Industrial Symbiosis initiative of Kalundborg (Denmark) and the sustainable neighborhood of BedZed (UK), that have been considered two anticipatory experiences of energy transition in which materials played a very important role. On this basis arguments have been provided to support the idea of a strong relationship between the continuing attribution of social meanings to materials and huge social processes like energy transition.