Abstract: Humans create stories about why they are here, what the purpose of this journey is and how to relate to their human and natural environment. These stories rest on some core ideas that feed into the common language and sense-making that people apply when engaging in collaboration, the design of institutions or legitimization of domination. Looking at what the story of neoclassical economics has offered for the implementation of sustainable development it is no surprise we have not achieved it so far. This paper draws on Gramscian hegemony and the Multi-Level-Perspective (MLP) in transition studies to show how the ongoing shift of the economic paradigm is paralleled with a shift in mindsets driving sustainable economic practice solutions. Taken together, these changes of the story about what humans and nature are like can become a high leverage point in turning societies towards sustainable development.
Narrative step: visions or strategies for transformation
Key words: transition theory, sustainable development, hegemony, new economic paradigm, leverage points