Perché fatichiamo a cambiare rotta verso un futuro sostenibile? L’inerzia ecologica attraverso la sociologica figurazionale

The paper we propose focuses on the heuristic potential of Norbert Elias's concept of social figuration as a tool to explore the connections between human and non-human elements that shape the concrete experience of living. This includes examining their potentials, mutual influences, sedimentations, and resistances to change. In this context, the environment is not merely a backdrop to action; it is a condition and result of the various human interdependencies. It acts as a dynamic element within the figurational game, characterized by its changing potentials and constraints. The figurational flow, particularly in its recognized form of civilization, relates to the transformations associated with the "triad of main controls". Elias uses the terms "sociogenesis" and "psychogenesis" to describe the specific development of human societies, grounding it in the realities of daily life and highlighting its dynamic and processual nature. This framework allows us to examine the conflictual dynamics arising from the "environmental paradox" that characterizes our current era. This paradox is marked by the presence of an impending disaster and the simultaneous inability to implement effective policies and practices aimed at slowing down and reversing the trajectory toward planetary destruction. In this complex interplay of daily life dimensions, we believe the main contribution of Eliasian sociology can be applied to the study of environmental issues in the Anthropocene. By deepening the concept of social habitus—defined as second nature—and its interpretation as an emotional barrier, the chapter discuss the depth of the resistances faced when adopting new practices that differ from established norms, particularly those that could mitigate the effects of climate change, which are increasingly evident. Some initial results from an ongoing PrinPnrr research project (conducted by the Universities of Florence, Naples Federico II, and Pavia) are utilized to test the heuristic potential of the proposed approach.