Nat Hazards (2012) 62:13391341 DOI 10.

1007/s11069-012-0126-4 BOOK REVIEW

Derk Loorbach: Transition management, new mode of governance for sustainable development
International Books, 2007, 327 pp, ISBN: 978-90-5727-054-4 (Paperback)
Riyanti Djalante Susanti Djalante

Received: 2 February 2012 / Accepted: 18 February 2012 / Published online: 23 March 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

This book is Derk Loorbachs PhD thesis at the Dutch Research Institute for Transition (Drift), Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. His professional works on interdisciplinary research to sustainable development started in the 2000s and strongly inuenced by the works of Jan Rotmans, Rene Kemps and others who have laid the foundations of transition studies. Transition is dened as transformational processes by which new social structures, institutions, cultures and practices are established from breaking down the old ones. The governance processes (principles, methods and tools) that can deal with these transformational processes are called transition management (TM) (p. 17). This is a very good example of theoretically informed and empirically grounded works. It is a combination of analysis of various theoretical underpinnings, which is then reformulated as a new framework and implemented in practice. The learning from the implementation is feedback to the framework for renement and better reection of practice and reality on the ground. This frameworks aim to give a new way of thinking about governance that are robust and concrete but also still provide rooms for reections, adaptation and learning (p. 281). Loorbach writes that TM is essentially about learningby-doing and doing-by-learning (p. 282). The book is structured into 10 chapters. The analytical processes in developing the TM framework are outlined in Chapters 16. Then, three case studies in implementing and testing the framework are described in Chapters 7, 8 and 9. Finally, Chapter 10 provides the synthesis and outlook. Chapter 1 of the book outlines the rationale and objectives of the study. Transitions and transition theory are pictured in Figure 1.1 that shows the four phases of transition from pre-development, take-off, breakthrough and stabilisation (p. 19). The processes occur at different level from micro (niches) to meso (regimes) and nally macro level (landscape). As required in an academic thesis, a statement of the research question is:
R. Djalante (&) Department of Environment and Geography, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia e-mail: riyanti.djalante@mq.edu.au S. Djalante Faculty of Engineering, Haluoleo University, Kendari, South East Sulawesi, Indonesia e-mail: sdjalante@yahoo.com

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How may we elaborate, underpin and implement the idea of transition management, taking into account (recent) insights from complexity theory, sociology, political science, and governance studies; and what further renements, adaptations and additions do practical experiences suggest? (p. 25) The next chapter goes on to explain approach and methodology for the PhD research. Table 2.1 summarises the thesis research methodologies and Figure 2.1 gives the thesis and research structure. The research processes are given in Figure 2.2. The three theoretical underpinnings of the thesis, complexity, society and governance are explained in Chapter 3. Under each of this theory, its relevance and potential contributions to transitions theory are discussed and summarised in Table 3.2. The key chapters explaining the TM frameworks are in Chapters 4, 5 and 6. Chapter 4 outlines the interactions and the theoretical underpinnings, which lead to the formulation of the framework. It is stated that the governance principles of TM are multi-actor policy making, multi-perspectives, innovation nucleus, transition and long-term (structural change), keeping options open, experimenting and innovation, dealing with uncertainties, and learning and reexivity (p. xx). The fth chapter discusses the cyclical, multi-level TM framework. The most interesting part in this chapter is in Table 5.1 that outlines the TM governance activities such as strategic, tactical and operational (p. 111), which lead to the TM cycle (Figure 5.2) of problem structuring, establishment of the transition arena and envisioning (strategic move), developing coalitions and transitions agendas (tactical move), mobilising actors and executing projects and experiments (operational move), and monitoring, evaluating and learning (p. 115). Then, the two combined together as the TM framework (p. 127, adopted from Loorbach 2004). Another important feature in this framework is called transition arena. Chapter 6 explains denitions, characteristics of transition arena, followed by analysis on how the arena model can be operationalised. Before going into each case study, Loorbach introduced as section called Intermezzo I which discusses the experiences of introducing the TM in the Netherlands. This serves as an introductory explanation for the next chapters. This lends nicely to Chapters 7 and 8 which explain cases of transitions in Dutch waste management and transition arena of Parkstad Limburg. Here, Loorbach presents a very interesting analysis on the theoretical and methodological learning from the cases. A second Intermezzo section is introduced, which is about the transition arena of sustainable living and housing case study in Flanders, Belgium. Again, the discussion focuses on the learning from the case study on the TM approach and TM arena model. Then, Chapter 9 discusses a case of energy transition and TM in the Netherlands. Finally, Chapter 10 synthesises and provides nal outlook and future research for TM framework. This chapter examines and takes a cross-sectional analysis of all chapters in the book. Also another necessary feature in an academic thesis, the nal chapter shows that the research question and subquestions have been answered and met. He further proposes that governance for transitions to sustainable development is different to existing governance and policy approaches in several ways: process based (complex system), coherent governance strategy (the TM approach), participatory approach (the TM framework) and informal policy and governance processes (p. 279). It was shown also there have been increasing attentions in researching and implementing TM in practice. Later in the book, Loorbach discusses the future of TM. He positively appraises the increasing application for TM in science and practice. However, he also warns on the thin or too loose application for TM since the effects can be counter-productive. He suggested that future directions for TM can be on the applications and inclusion of other theoretical

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issues, as is the formation of an innovation forum, innovation platform, or community of professional. This book is indeed an inspiration for future governance for sustainability. It is well structured, logically presented and easy to follow. The strength of this book is on its ability to synthesise several general conceptual underpinnings to channel the analysis that leads to the proposed frameworks. The presentations of case studies show great possibilities for ground-toothing the framework. This book is also a great example of how a PhD study on interdisciplinary topics should be structured, written and approached. Wisely, at the end of the book, the author raise a question questions whether this framework can be condently applied to other complex environmental cases and restates how TM can ll the void in the quest for management and governance for sustainable development. Reading this book has denitely provided brighter and more condence outlooks that the world could reach and govern transition for a more sustainable state in development.

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