This article investigates how transnational networks of community-led initiatives (TNCLIs) advance sustainability transitions through strategies of relocalization. Using a comparative qualitative analysis of three European networks – GEN-Europe, Transition Network, and RIPESS-Europe – it identifies three forms of agency: configurative (systemic design of regenerative settlements), catalyzing (activation of latent community capacities), and epistemic (knowledge co-production and advocacy). The article refines existing conceptualizations of agency in sustainability transitions by highlighting how TNCLIs mobilize design, collective action, and knowledge infrastructures to scale innovations and engage institutional fields. While these approaches are often combined, their effectiveness depends on contextual conditions and evolving opportunity structures, including funding landscapes and governance environments. The analysis reveals both convergence and divergence among networks, raising questions about how they manage tensions between grassroots autonomy and institutional engagement. The findings offer new insights into the multi-scalar dynamics of grassroots transformation and suggest directions for future research on the roles, strategies, and political significance of TNCLIs. This study contributes to debates on the governance of social innovation and the design of inclusive, regenerative, and democratic sustainability transitions.

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Transnational networks,Grassroots innovation,Sustainability transitions,Relocalization,Agency,Social innovation

• Sociology - Social Sciences
• Political Science - Social Sciences
• Other Social Sciences - Social Sciences

This publication is an output of the following project(s):

• Transnational networks for regenerative development in Europe: A comparative perspective on grassroots mobilisation and policy advocacy