Sociology is a late child of Western modernity. As an institutionalised system of knowledge, it was born of accelerated urbanisation, the spread of capitalist labour relations, and other fundamental social changes that were part of the overall processes known as industrialisation. Currently, there are many indications that we are in the midst of another civilisational change. It involves a planned and forced shift away from “fossil modernity,” that is, an economy based on an energy industry that relies entirely on fossil fuels, towards new energy regimes. It is impossible for the process to take place without social or political consequences, although it is very difficult to forsee all of them today. For this reason, energy research is a fascinating field for the social sciences and humanities. This issue of State of Affairs illustrates how energy research reveals the strengths, limitations, and dilemmas of present-day social sciences and humanities, while also pointing towards new possible developmental trajectories in the coming years, exploring new ways of grasping stability and change, collaborating across domains and disciplines, and balancing rigour with engagement.
Publication prepared with financial support from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, as part of the programme “Rozwój czasopism naukowych” (RCN/SP/0506/2021/1).