A Review of Socio-Technical Transition Theory Frameworks and their Applications in Energy Transition Studies

Abstract

Socio-technical transition theory has become a cornerstone in sustainability and energy research, offering insights into how complex systems such as energy, mobility, and food transform over time. This paper reviews three major frameworks—Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), Transition Management (TM), and Strategic Niche Management (SNM)—and critically evaluates their application to energy transition studies. While these frameworks provide powerful conceptual tools for understanding the dynamics of system change, they also face significant criticisms, including conceptual ambiguities, Eurocentrism, and limited applicability to Global South contexts. The review highlights how transition theory has been mobilised to analyse low-carbon energy transitions in Europe, China, and beyond, and how more recent scholarship integrates concerns with justice, power, and geopolitics. It argues that transition studies must evolve towards more inclusive, multi-scalar, and politically attuned frameworks, capable of addressing urgent global challenges such as net-zero decarbonisation, digitalisation, and energy poverty. The paper concludes by proposing a research agenda that bridges theoretical developments with practical governance in diverse socio-political settings, particularly in developing countries where transitions unfold under different constraints and opportunities.