Transition versus Bifurcation: “Individual Acts and Collective Acts: How Can We Interpret and Understand the World Today?”

The concepts of transition and bifurcation now play a central role in scientific, political, and institutional discourse on ecological, technological, and social transformations. Transition is generally understood as a gradual, linear, and manageable process based on societal adaptation.

Conversely, a bifurcation refers to dynamics of rupture, characterized by uncertainty, nonlinearity, and choices that are difficult to reverse.

Drawing on critical scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, we find that the dominant narrative of transition tends to obscure the political conflicts, normative choices, and power dynamics at work in contemporary transformations. These trajectories are not merely technical adjustments, but involve institutional trade-offs and sociotechnical imaginaries that render certain futures more legitimate than others.

The study days thus aim to examine these analytical frameworks by fostering a dialogue between the sciences, the arts, and public engagement, in order to better understand and respond to a context of systemic crisis. They highlight the contribution of artistic practices and responsible innovation to addressing situations of upheaval, strengthening individual and collective agency, and developing a critical and sensitive approach to transformation.