Social and Political Dimensions of Sustainability

The Social and Political Dimensions of Sustainability research cluster offers a critical examination of the relationship between socio-political processes and sustainability in the broadest sense. We see sustainability and social processes as deeply intertwined, and not always complementary.

What unites cluster members is an emphasis on theoretically informed, critical and methodologically rich research, coupled with an awareness of how socio-political implications of environmental decision-making are framed by various schools of thought.

We work across disciplines and scales and are inspired by a range of approaches from the social sciences and humanities, including discourse theory, political ecology, science, technology and innovation studies, post-colonialism, critical governance studies, sustainability science, and development studies.

Our research includes:

• Sustainability and intersectional [in] justice, including:
  • Energy poverty
  • Fair design of climate policies
  • Contested narratives of justice and Just Transitions
  • Sustainable welfare and intergenerational justice
     
• Sustainability and governance, including:
  • The regulation of extractive industries
  • Interdisciplinary analysis of power
  • Area-based approaches to governance of sustainability
  • Local planning and place-based approaches
  • Interplay between formal urban governance structures and community-led initiatives
  • The politics of rewilding
  • Psychoanalytical approaches to sustainability knowledge-making
     
• Sustainable societies
  • Sustainable consumption
  • Labour and logistics
  • Relational approaches to energy
  • Wellbeing as part of the system change to sustainable futures
  • Contribution to the SRI-wide research agenda on sufficiency, from a SPDS angle
     
• Participatory and creative research methodologies
  • Ethnographic research
  • Psychogeography
  • Photo voice
  • Arts-based methodologies

We engage extensively with organisations, communities and other academics to conduct research, share findings and host seminars. We are particularly supportive of PGR and ECRs and use our monthly meetings to showcase opportunities for development.

Further information

View all members of our research group, our recent projects and publications.

PhD projects

We have opportunities for prospective postgraduate researchers. Find out more.

Contact us

If you would like to discuss an area of research in more detail, please contact Dr Morgan Campbell or Dr Valeria Tolis