An Analysis of the Ecological Footprint Using Actor-Network Theory and Case Study Research

Sammanfattning: The aim of this thesis is to investigate the factors hindering and enabling the use of the environmental composite indicator, the Ecological Footprint, in Denmark. In this project, Actor-network theory and case study research will be applied to the empirical material, consisting of five semi-structured interviews and written documents. The case study approach works as a general research strategy, providing a framework and a set of guidelines for the research process. Actor-network theory provides an extensive framework, created to describe contemporary entities in intertwined relation between the social and the natural, such as environmental issues. The distinct ontological and methodological scope of both of the approaches will be explored in the study of environmental issues which have generally been ignored within Sociology. The results suggests a number of factors enabling and hindering use of the Ecological Footprint in settings in Denmark. Finally, the results describes the outcome of the application of each of the approaches in the study of the Ecological Footprint.