SUSAKI - Socioecological transitions, sustainability and collapse of island communities: the case of Samothraki

The project analyses society-environment relations on the Greek island of Samothraki. Over the past decades the island is experiencing a transition process from an agrarian to a modern society and a gradually rising imbalance from ecological overexploitation. The project gives scientific support to the process of turning Samothraki into a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, by generating improved insights from past demographic collapses, and identifying the threats and possible ailments in order to avoid them for the present.The overarching aims of the project are to:• Identify the key conditions of self-reproduction of the socioecological system of the island of Samothraki, as well as the main drivers of transformation.• Reconstruct the system’s compartments and dynamics, in order to make recommendations on how to avoid critical tipping points at present and strive for a sustainable future.In line with the transdisciplinary approach of the project, a full length video documentary complementing the theoretical insights will be produced. Throughout the project’s duration, a film crew will follow the work of the research team on Samothraki and document impressions of the site and its people, insights on interdisciplinary research in action, as well as the dynamic interaction between researchers and the island community.For more information and updates, visit the project website: http://sustainable-samothraki.net/