Climate Change Study Group

Introduction

The study group was formed following the very successful BSA Presidential Debate ‘How to put society into climate change’ held at the British Library in February 2010.  As that event demonstrated, sociology has an increasingly important role to play in shaping and contributing to public and policy debate about climate change.  The study group provides a forum in which to explore how to effectively bring sociology’s unique perspective to bear on this most pressing of challenges. The study group is open to all sociologists, from whatever specialism and at whatever stage they may be at in their career.

Objectives

• To provide a platform from which to promote sociological contributions and interventions to the climate change debate.
• To increase visibility of what the discipline has to offer across a range of related policy domains.
• To provide a point of reference for researchers and research funders (including the ESRC).
• To generate new lines of sociological enquiry into climate change.
• To provide networking opportunities for sociologists and those working in associated disciplines.
• To offer a space for PhD students and early career researchers to develop experience of organizing talks and other academic events.
• To host at least one major meeting a year, alongside smaller regional events.

Call for proposals to run events in 2011/12

The BSA Climate Change Study Group was launched on 17 January 2011.  Many suggestions were made for future events (see the full list).  Over the next year the BSA Climate Change Study Group is keen to support a number of events in different parts of the country.   

Please send us your ideas

If you’d like to design and run a BSA climate change study group event, and are not already a member, email Elizabeth Shove and ask to join the list. 

News

Reports from the Sustainable Practices Research Group Summer School
The BSA climate change study group supported three PhD students, Rebecca Collins, Javier Lloveras and Janine Morley, allowing them to participate in the Sustainable Practices Research Group Summer School held in September 2011.  In exchange we asked them to report on their experience.  The following reports draw attention to themes and issues of interest to other members of the BSA Climate Change Study group.

• Report from the Sustainable Practices Research Group Summer School – Rebecca Collins
• Where are the boundaries of consumption? - Javier LLoveras
• The moments that last: some reflections from the SPRG Summer School - Janine Morley

Forthcoming Events

16 January 2012
BSA Climate Change Study Group: Social dimensions of climate change – a unique book launch and discussion event
British Library, London, UK - FULLY BOOKED

Rescheduled for Spring 2012
BSA Climate Change Study Group - Camping Trip and Roundtable: ‘Energy Futures for a Zero Carbon Britain’
Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, UK

30-31 March 2012
BSA Climate Change Study Group Event: Methodological and conceptual approaches for researching climate change at different societal scales
University of Southampton, UK
Costs:  BSA members - £30; Non-Members - £45; BSA Postgraduate Member - £25; Postgraduate Non-Member: £30.  BOOK NOW!

Annual Report

The Climate Change Study Group Annual Report is now available.

Join the Group

Past Events

Convenor(s)

Elizabeth Shove

Department of Sociology

Lancaster University

Send an email.

Tom Hargreaves (Treasurer)

School of Environmental Sciences

University of East Anglia

Send an email.

Return to the Study Group homepage.