How to research something that doesn’t exist? : Reflections on the methodologies adopted in the literature on the spatialities of degrowth

In the context of the debate on socio-ecological transformation, over the last years beyond growth perspectives have emerged with strength. In this contribution, I focus in particular on the fast evolving literature at the intersection of degrowth and studies of human geography and spatial planning. I do not propose a review of the contents but rather focus on the methodological challenges of a field that researches something that does not (yet) exist: the spatialities of a degrowth transformation. I identify four main approaches used in the existing literature: case studies of what goes wrong and of good practices, utopian imaginaries and the development of pathways, policies and strategies for change and suggest ways to develop other methodologies.