Emrah Karakaya

I am an associate professor and a docent at Department of Industrial Economics and Management (INDEK). Also, I am the program director of Master in Industrial Management, a theme leader at KTH Food Center and a faculty member at Digital Futures.

In my current research, I explore how calculative practices influence organizational and industrial change. Some examples of these calculative practices are algorithmic decision support systems (e.g., driven by artificial intelligence) and sustainability assessment methods (e.g., life cycle assessment).

Currently, I am co-leading two research projects: Artificial Intelligence and Industrial Transformations (funded by the Wallenberg Foundations) and Data-Driven Sustainable Food(funded by KTH's Digital Futures).

Previously, I have held visiting positions at SCANCOR at Harvard University, Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University and Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research.

I have published in journals such as Technovation, Environmental Innovation & Societal Transitions, Energy Research & Social Science and Resources Policy, attracting more than 2300 citations to date.  Some of my recent publications include:

• A critical and reflexive perspective on sustainability
• A qualitative case study on transitions towards lithium-ion batteries
• A multiple case study on autonomous buses, electric road systems and hydrogen-based steelmaking
• Burden shifting of sustainability transitions
• A discourse analysis of Swedish avation industry

My CV can be accessed here.

News and updates

2026 August – International Sustainability Transitions Conference

We are convening a track on IST conference 31 August – 2 September. Our track ‘Transitioning Within Limits: Critical Perspectives on Sustainability Assumptions and Claims’ brings together thirteen papers that are engaged with a ‘critical turn’. See the Track 13 on the conference website for more info.

2026 June – Unintended consequences of algorithmic decision-making

I presented my ongoing research ‘unintended consequences of algorithmic decision-making in the public sector’ in a KTH Digital Futures Workshop: Responsible AI vs. AGI Hype. The abstract of my talk can be found on the workshop’s website.

2026 May – Can AI agents run a café?

I was interviewed by Associated Press regarding Andon café, an AI-run café in Stockholm. As I mentioned in my interview, this experimental café demonstrates the limits and risks of AI agents, providing a test bed for the future. My interview was featured by The Washington Post and Independent en Español.