Kirsten Gram-Hanssen
Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg University, Denmark
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Published in: Proceedings of the Sustaining Everyday Life Conference
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 38:6, p. 45-57
Published: 2010-11-05
ISBN:
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
A household’s energy consumption is an important element of sustainable everyday life. It is therefore relevant to understand and explain the daily routines and use of technology that are intimately linked to energy consumption. This paper introduces a recent practice theory from Schatzki; Reckwitz; and Warde that has been put forward as a promising framework to explain everyday life consumer practices. The practice theory is; however; not a commonly agreed upon theory but is regarded more like an approach or a turn within contemporary social theory. When using practice theory in studies of everyday life; there are several conditions that need further clarification. In this paper; the focus will be on the question of how to include technology in practice theory and how technology contributes to both change and stability in practice. In the paper; Schatzkis practice theory is described in detail and; based on Reckwitz; is afterward extended with discussions of different socio-technical approaches; including appropriation and domestication of technology; transition theory; and scales of technology. The paper discusses practice theory and how it can be used to understand the role of objects and technologies in the constitution and change of routines and practices related to the use of everyday-life technologies; as it is by using these technologies that energy is consumed in the homes.
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