IERI (International Ecovillage Research Institute) Research Lab

Group photo of diverse participants at an Ecovillage event, IERI lab setting.

Portrait of a researcher with glasses in an office setting.

English

Date and time

~~September 23, 2026 15:30 - September 23, 2026 17:00~~

About the event

The Research Lab is a new space for connection, exchange, and inspiration, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and students interested in ecovillages and regenerative communities. Our intention is to create a vibrant laboratory where we can learn from one another, strengthen collaborations, and advance collective knowledge.

📅 Date: Wednesday September 23rd
🕓 Time: 10:30 Brazil / 13:30 UTC / 15:30 CEST (1.5 hour)

Zoom link: https://unibas.zoom.us/j/61404061682

Register Here: https://unibas.zoom.us/meeting/register/io_jg3SJQGqRAaIi0eXazw

Transitions towards the pluriverse: Place, difference, alliances and autonomy in two Latin American ecovillages

Presented by Dr. Rebeca Roysen Professor at the Graduate Program in Tourism and Hospitality, Co-leader of the Sustainability Transitions and the Pluriverse of Alternatives (TranS-PlurAL) research group, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Brazil

This study proposes an alternative analytical framework for sustainability transitions research by drawing on critical scholarship on grassroots innovations and post-development studies. Rather than focusing on scalable innovations and socio-technical regime change, it introduces the concept of Transitions Towards the Pluriverse (TTP)—a bottom-up, decolonial, and context-sensitive approach that recognizes the diversity of transition pathways and places local communities and grassroots innovations at the center of transformations.

Through two case studies of Latin American ecovillages, Dr. Roysen explores four key analytical dimensions—place, difference, alliances, and autonomy—to examine how ecovillages promote (or sometimes fail to promote) transitions towards the pluriverse.

Whether you are an experienced researcher, a practitioner, or a student beginning your journey, you are warmly welcome to join us.

We look forward to learning, exchanging ideas, and building this community together.

Recent publications by Dr. Rebeca Roysen

Roysen, R., Pereira Prado, M. M., Bruehwiler, N., Kos, L., & Koehrsen, J. (2026). Transitions towards the pluriverse: Place, difference, alliances and autonomy in two Latin American ecovillages. Sustainability Science.
Roysen, R., Ayala, D. H. F., Ramos-Mejía, M., Kos, L., Bruehwiler, N., & Koehrsen, J. (2026). Replicating grassroots innovations in the Global South: A case study of ecovillages for marginalized groups in Colombia. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.
Roysen, R., Fagundes, G. M., Kos, L., Bruehwiler, N., & Koehrsen, J. (2025). Building a World-Ship: A decolonial approach to just energy transitions. Human Geography.

More information: Ecovillage Research Global Ecovillage Network

Agenda

The Research Lab aims to:

Create a welcoming space to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and inspire one another.
Share research updates, methodological questions, and ongoing work.
Present current research projects while identifying opportunities for collaboration, joint publications, and collective initiatives.
Foster the co-creation of publications, research projects, and funding opportunities.
Support early-career researchers through peer exchange, mentoring, shared bibliographies, contacts, and methodological expertise.
Provide a supportive environment where researchers can present work in progress and receive constructive feedback on papers, theses, and research ideas.
Weave together a diverse network of ecovillage and ecocommunity researchers, encouraging dialogue, collaboration, and mutual learning across disciplines, universities, and regions.