The funding will be used to support ongoing and new research about the politics of transition to a circular economy (CE). The development of a CE, in combination with decarbonisation, has over the last ten years become one of the central policy goals in the sustainability domain. However, the CE is still mainly approached as an economic and environmental-technological challenge, with considerably less attention to its political, social and geopolitical implications. This research focuses on the transition to a CE as politically highly contentious field, since such a transition will inevitably deeply influence society: it will require phasing in new economic structures and practices (including repair, sharing, reuse, recycling…), while phasing out the obsolete fossil-based industry. It will change existing power relations between societal actors, influence innovation policy and investment decisions, impact job opportunities, and even individual lifestyles. The research centres on the political questions these developments evoke: which discourses influence the societal debate about the CE and which are marginalized? Who is at the decision tables? How is the CE institutionalised? Which interests are served? How can a just transition be realised? Which choices does this imply and who should be involved?