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Reappraisal of the local and living a rooted life are often highlighted by international advocates for sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyles. The purpose of this study is to explore and theorize downshifters’ lifestyle changes, with a particular focus on their living environments and sense of place, and we draw on a theoretical framework that combines insights from previous research on downshifting and voluntary simplicity. We conducted 30 life story interviews with individuals in Sweden who consider themselves downshifters or advocates of a simpler life. These materials were analysed along the dimensions of (1) spatial adaptation and appropriation; (2) local and global scales; and (3) temporality of place. Our results emphasize the non-linearity of lifestyle changes towards simplicity where, whereby commitment to sustainability varies while personal goals rely on the previous experiences and everyday practices, values and knowledge that can improve both individual and global sustainability. Our analysis shows that sense of place is a dynamic process influenced by mobilities and flows, spatial inertia and context, and memories and emotions. Our research contributes to the recent more than- relational view on space and place with concepts from humanistic geography that further assist in understanding individuals’ sense of place.

Diskussioner om nedväxling, frivillig enkelhet och omställning förekommer i tidningar, radio, tv och allt fler fora på sociala medier. Där avhandlas allt från jordnära ting som grönsaksodling och självförsörjning till systemförändringar som ska förhindra överexploatering av jordens resurser eller livsstilsförändringar med syfte att hoppa av ekorrhjulet. Vi som ligger bakom den här texten är kulturgeografer och forskare på Institutionen för geografi vid Umeå universitet. Texten syftar till att presentera vår tolkning av fenomenet nedväxling inte bara med hänsyn till våra professionella erfarenheter, utan också med hänsyn till våra respektive bakgrunder och värderingar kring hållbara livsstilar.

To date, few geographic studies focus on downshifting in Sweden. We address this gap and use 'downshifting' to describe a process in which people become aware of the downsides of their hectic lifestyles, and to analyse modern society as a context from which this process arises. During the 2019 Transition Conference in Umeå, we conducted a focus group workshop to address the questions 'how do you describe your desired lifestyle?' and 'how do you relate these lifestyles with your place perceptions?'. One conclusion is that inner transition is as important as spatial relocation. The participants indicated that both urban and rural areas can enable and hinder sustainable lifestyles. Policy makers need to know how these potential downshifters reason around optimal settlement sizes.