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The paper discusses the degree of normative sustainability achieved by selected regimes according to their sustainable development strategies. Focussing on Agenda 21, the Mediterranean Strategy of Sustainable Development, the European Union's renewed Sustainable Development Strategy and Slovenia's Development Strategy, the paper draws on Becker et al.'s cross-disciplinary concept of sustainability and the operationalisation of normative sustainability. On the basis of the analysis of objectives and rationales behind the investigated strategies as well as examination of the general context, the paper puts forward the differences between the examined regimes and explores the possible factors inducing them. The paper concludes with a general observation that the analyzed regimes reflect a fair degree of normative sustainability.

The article explores the impact of normative institutional factors on the development of sustainability reporting. The vast majority of research in the scientific literature focuses on mandatory institutional factors, i.e. how public institutions and market regulators affect sustainability reporting. Meanwhile, there is lack of empirical data for the impact of normative institutional factors. The effect of normative factors in this paper is based on the role of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and institutional theory. The case of Global Compact Local Network in the developing country was examined. The research results revealed that in the absence of regulated factors, companies were not active with regard to social disclosures; they presented non-systemized social information of a descriptive nature. Only 10% of sustainability reports were prepared using the GRI methodology. None of the reports were assured by third parties.

The article explores the impact of normative institutional factors on the development of sustainability reporting. The vast majority of research in the scientific literature focuses on mandatory institutional factors, i.e. how public institutions and market regulators affect sustainability reporting. Meanwhile, there is lack of empirical data for the impact of normative institutional factors. The effect of normative factors in this paper is based on the role of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and institutional theory. The case of Global Compact Local Network in the developing country was examined. The research results revealed that in the absence of regulated factors, companies were not active with regard to social disclosures; they presented non-systemized social information of a descriptive nature. Only 10% of sustainability reports were prepared using the GRI methodology. None of the reports were assured by third parties.

The purpose of this article is to examine whether the normative expectations among masons has positive or negative influence on young people's interest in masonry. The norms and values a vocation's practitioners operate with may affect the appeal of the vocation to new and potential apprentices. Yet, whether or not a vocation continues to survive depend on how successful its norms and values order expectations of different categories of people in its fold. Data were derived from interviews and focused discussions among 30 masons and 16 apprentices. The results show that normative relations between masons and apprentices increase apprentices' anxiety. There are indications that apprentices find challenging some of the conventions that dictate the process of training. Whereas master masons feel less concern about traditional expectations on apprentices, many apprentices believe that some aspects of informal apprenticeship training process emphasize disturbing social and economic interaction with attendant disinterestedness among apprentices.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, le concept de « civilisation écologique » ( shengtai wenming , 文明) est devenu une monnaie courante dans le débat en Chine sur l'urbanisation durable. Sur le plan conceptuel, la civilisation écologique appelle à un nouvel accord entre l'homme et la nature et à adopter un nouveau modèle de développement, qui n'entraîne pas de perturbation de l'environnement naturel en faveur de la croissance économique. Cependant, la mesure dans laquelle la civilisation écologique peut remodeler les normes du développement urbain fait encore l'objet de débats. Afin de faire la lumière sur cette question, nous avons procédé à une analyse systématique de 24 systèmes d'évaluation inspirés par la civilisation écologique. Cet examen montre un accent nouveau mis sur la dimension sociale de la durabilité, dans laquelle les thèmes « non techniques » fondés sur les relations de l'homme avec son cadre de vie complètent les catégories traditionnelles de durabilité sociale – protection sociale, éducation, travail. Les systèmes d'évaluation inspirés par la civilisation écologique semblent également refléter un lien plus étroit entre le savoir et les politiques, avec un focus sur des questions telles que la sensibilisation à l'environnement et la participation du public. L'adoption du concept de « civilisation écologique » semble donc aller de pair avec l'instauration d'une approche plus globale de la durabilité urbaine. La mesure dans laquelle ces normes seront traduites dans la pratique dépendra des processus institutionnels et politiques régissant le développement urbain de la Chine – elles doivent donc être mieux comprises et définies.

The European Union (EU) is considered as a normative power that promotes certain values globally. The EU's actions are evaluated by its goals, leverage, and achievement in both rhetorical statements and empirical practice. It is found that the EU acts differently in its normative actions towards China in promoting human rights and sustainable development, even though both norms are specified in its treaties. This variation could be explained by the variables deriving from role theory, including self-identity, external perception, and external expectation. It is concluded that the normative role of Europe is limited, especially in the case of China. It is further determined that the EU needs to change its offensive normative policy to a defensive one, which focuses first on identity consolidation in its own society. Otherwise, the various interests and identities of Member States would impede EU institutions from implementing effective normative policy.

Global change and sustainability research increasingly focusses on informing and shaping societal transformations towards more sustainable futures. Doing so, researchers encounter the deeply political and normative dimensions of sustainability problems and potential solutions. This raises questions about the value-dimensions of science itself, as well as the appropriate relationship between science and politics. In this paper, these normative and political dimensions of sustainability research are explored based on a literature review and survey. The survey was completed by 284 researchers participating in the international research platform Future Earth: Research for Global Sustainability. The analysis of survey data reveals that sustainability researchers generally acknowledge the value-laden and political nature of their work, yet perspectives on what this means and how to deal with such dimensions vary. Four groups of respondents are distinguished and classified by the following broad narratives: transformative research as speaking truth to power, transformative research as political act, responsibility for rigorous science, and humility on solutions potential. Several tensions within and between these perspectives are identified, pertaining to the role of sustainability researchers in supporting societal transformations, the possibility and desirability of scientific independence and impartiality, and the appropriate relationship between science and politics. The paper concludes by pointing to the need for more explicit engagement with the normative and political dimensions of sustainability research.