Land Use and Consumption Patterns

The research area “Land Use and Consumption Patterns” addresses issues at the intersection of different forms of land use and hence interrelated lifestyles and consumption patterns. It draws upon concepts from sustainable regional development, sustainable consumption and lifestyle research. One of the main foci of the research group is the analysis of the ways in which the implications of certain types of land use (e.g. agriculture, urbanisation, economic activities, energy production, nature conservation, tourism) can be reconciled with the divergent demands of various groups of actors and inhabitants. Another strand consists of research into current forms of urban and rural lifestyles, their evaluation from the perspective of sustainable development and the development of transformation strategies. Situated at the interface of urban and rural planning as well as social-scientific approaches, interdisciplinary cooperation is an essential element. Additionally, most projects are taking place in close collaboration with different actors from the administrative and economic sectors as well as civil society. This is being used as an opportunity to experiment with innovative formats of transdisciplinary cooperation such as citizen science, living labs and innovation groups.

In sustainable consumption research, practice theory approaches and concepts of social innovations for social-ecological transformation processes play an important role. In research on sustainable land use, the analysis of horizontal or vertical cooperation e.g. along value added chains or within regions is an important focus.

• Hammad, H., Muster, V., El-Bassiouny, N. and Schäfer, M. (2019), "Status and sustainability", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 537-550. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-06-2019-0115
• Frezza, M./Lorraine Whitmarsh, L./ Schäfer, M. & Schrader, U. (2019): Spillover effects of sustainable consumption: combining identity process theory and theories of practice, Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 15:1, 15-30, DOI: 10.1080/15487733.2019.1567215
• Schäfer, M. (2019): Establishing ethical organic poultry production: a question of successful cooperation management? Agriculture and Human Values, (Symposium/Special Issue), pp. 1-13. DOI: 10.1007/s10460-019-09915-4
• Martina Schäfer & Bettina König (2018): The role of cooperation for sustainability innovations in the agriculture and food sector, Int. J. Agr. Ext., 65-78. Download: http://escijournals.net/index.php/IJAE/article/view/2680
• Schäfer, M., Hielscher, S., Haas, W., Hausknost, D., Leitner, M., Kunze, I., Mandl, S. (2018): Facilitating Low-Carbon Living? A Comparison of Intervention Measures in Different Community-Based Initiatives. Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1047; doi:10.3390/su10041047
• Süßbauer, E. and Schäfer, M. (2018) ‘Greening the workplace: conceptualising workplaces as settings for enabling sustainable consumption’, Int. J. Innovation and Sustainable Development, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 327–349.
• Mann, C. & Schäfer, M. (2018): Developing sustainable water and land management options: reflections on a transdisciplinary research process. Sustain Sci (2018) 13: 205-217. doi.org/10.1007/s11625-017-0451-3
• Muster, V; Schrader, U.; Blazejewski, S.; Schäfer, M.; Buhl, A.; Harrach, C.; Schmidt-Keilich, M.; Süßbauer, E. (2016): Integration von Mitarbeitern als Konsumenten in Nachhaltigkeitsprozesse. Erprobung eines neuen Forschungsansatzes im Rahmen eines BMBF-Verbundprojekts. In: Umwelt Wirtschafts Forum, Band 24, Heft 4, Dezember 2016, S. 417-421, DOI 10.1007/s00550-016-0435-2.  
• Kröger, M. & Schäfer, M. (2016): Scenario development as a tool for interdisciplinary integration processes in sustainable land use research. Futures (2016).

• Volume 84, Part A, pp. 64-81, DOI information: 10.1016/j.futures.2016.07.005. Download (until 3rd of December: http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1Ttn7_NmkkyJw)
• Jaeger-Erben, Melanie; Rückert-John, Jana; Schäfer, Martina: (2015): Sustainable consumption through social innovation: a typology of innovations for sustainable consumption practices. In: Journal of Cleaner Production. DOI information: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.07.042.
• Keynote Speech of Prof. Dr. Dr. Martina Schäfer at CONSENSUS (II. International Conference, 21 - 22 May 2015)
• Di Giulio, A.; Fischer, D.; Schäfer, M.;  Blättel-Mink, B. (2014): Conceptualizing sustainable consumption: toward an integrative framework. In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy Spring 2014, Volume 10, Issue 1, pp. 45-61
• Kröger, M.; Schäfer, M. (2014): Between Ideals and Reality: Development and Implementation of Fairness Standards in the Organic Food Sector. In: Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, Volume 27, Number 1, pp. 43-63
• Schäfer, M. /Keppler, D. (2013): Modelle der technikorientierten Akzeptanzforschung. Überblick und Reflexion am Beispiel eines Forschungsprojekts zur Implementierung innovativer technischer Energieeffizienz-Maßnahmen. ZTG Discussionpaper 34/2013
• Schäfer, M./ Jaeger-Erben, M./ Bamberg, S. (2012): Life Events as Windows of Opportunity for Changing Towards Sustainable Consumption Patterns? Results from an Intervention Study. In: Journal of Consumer Policies. Vol. 35, 1/2012, pp. 65-85.
• Kröger, M.; Rückert-John, J.; Schäfer, M. (2012): Wissensintegration im nachhaltigen Landmanagement. Inter- und transdisziplinäre Problembeschreibung im Projektverbund ELaN (ELaN Discussion Paper Nr. 2), Müncheberg.
• Schäfer, M./ Jaeger-Erben, M./ de Santos, A. (2011): Leapfrogging to Sustainable Consumption? An Explorative Survey of Consumption Habits and Orientations in Southern Brazil. Journal of Consumer Policy, Volume 34, Number 1, pp. 175-196.
• Schäfer, M. / Jaeger-Erben, M. (2011): Lebensereignisse als Gelegenheitsfenster für nachhaltigen Konsum? Die Veränderung alltäglicher Lebensführung in Umbruchsituationen. In: Defila R./ Di Giulio, A, & Kaufmann-Hayoz, R. (Hg.) (2011): Wesen und Wege nachhaltigen Konsums. Ergebnisse aus dem Themenschwerpunkt "Vom Wissen zum Handeln. Wege zum Nachhaltigen Konsum", Band 13, München: oekom Verlag, S. 213-228.
• Jaeger-Erben, M. (2010): Zwischen Routine, Reflektion und Transformation. Die Veränderung von alltäglichem Konsum durch Lebensereignisse und die Rolle von Nachhaltigkeit – eine empirische Untersuchung unter Berücksichtigung praxistheoretischer Konzepte. Dissertationsschrift. Berlin: Technische Universität Berlin.
• Schäfer, M. (Hg.) (2007): Zukunftsfähiger Wohlstand - Der Beitrag der ökologischen Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft zu Lebensqualität und nachhaltiger Entwicklung. Marburg: Metropolis.
• Nölting, B./Schäfer, M. (Hg.) (2007): Vom Acker auf den Teller. Impulse der Agrar- und Ernährungsforschung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung. München: oekom Verlag (Ergebnisse Sozial-ökologischer Forschung; 8).