MA/MSc/PhD studies in sociological aspects of climate change

As part of the University’s new ESRC Doctoral Training Centre CRESI is offering a number of training pathways which include MA/MSc training and PhD supervision in (amongst others)

• Economic sociology
• Science in society
• Survey methodology

We would welcome applications from students interested in studying sociological aspects of climate change from these and other perspectives and would especially welcome students interested in making use of ’Understanding Society‘, the new UK 40,000-strong household longitudinal study and it’s predecessor the British Household Panel Survey.

Together these datasets provide a unique longitudinal resource tracking the socio-ecomic circumstances and, more latterly, sustainable practices and attitudes of UK citizens over the last 20 years. Both of these surveys are/were lead by our colleagues at Essex’s renowned Institute for Social and Economic Research to which our students have everyday access.

Students would form part of a wider research community focused on the ESRC Sustainable Practices Research Group and Essex’s own ‘Growth and Sustainability: constructing a new global socio-economic and political order‘ challenge.

More information on available studentships, how to apply and other related graduate courses and programmes is available from the Department of Sociology website.

Seminar: Sustainable Practices Research

Mark Harvey and Ben Anderson from Department of Sociology, University of Essex

Thursday 10 February 2011

At 16:00 in Room 6.345 and afterwards in the Sociology Common Room.

What is sustainable consumption? Mark Harvey and Ben Anderson are part of a new £1.5 million ESRC research group, led by the University of Manchester, which is at the first stages of research. They will present the aims and agendas of their projects in the broader SPRG programme, and open a discussion on consumption and sustainability, with both theoretical and empirical research questions.

Researcher needed to work with Mark Harvey on comparative study of the economic sociology of bottled water

ESRC funded Senior Research Officer in the Department of Sociology needed to undertake comparative research on consumption practices of bottled water in Europe, Mexico and India. The post has arisen as part of the formation of the Sustainable Practices Research Group, led by the University of Manchester, a programme of research on sustainability and consumption. The appointed researcher will work under the direction of Professor Mark Harvey, Director of the Centre for Research in Economic Sociology and Innovation (CRESI).

For more information see http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ACC425/senior-research-officer/

Senior Research Officers wanted to work on Prof. Miriam Glucksmann’s ERC grant

Applications are invited for two European Research Council funded Senior Research Officer Posts in the Department of Sociology, to undertake research on the new field of consumption work. The positions have become available as part of Professor Miriam Glucksmann’s 3 year ERC Advanced Investigator Grant to undertake a programme of research on ‘Consumption Work and Societal Divisions of Labour’.

Europe’s approach to biofuels: The Road to Nowhere

Mark Harvey‘s research featured at a Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Biofuel seminar at the Royal Society on 22nd July 2010.

“Mark echoed what other speakers also noted that in order to deliver a transition to sustainable transport energy strong, long-term strategic political direction is required, together with strong state support and steering from basic science to commercialisation. ‘Market signals will not drive radical, comprehensive or urgent technological change,’ he added.” Read  more coverage of the seminar from the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

CRESI secures ESRC sustainable consumption funding

In collaboration with colleagues at a number of Universities including Manchester, Lancaster and Edinburgh, CRESI’s Professor Mark Harvey and Dr Ben Anderson have secured substantial ESRC funding to develop their work on sustainable consumption as part of the Sustainable Practices Research Group of the ESRC Sustainable Behaviour Group.

Seminar: Capitalism versus the environment? A debate

Ted Benton & Mark Harvey from the Department of Sociology, University of Essex

Date: Thursday 22nd October 2009

At 16:00 in Room 6.345, Dept. of Sociology, University of Essex.

CRESI to undertake ‘global challenges’ research

Prof. Mark Harvey and Dr Ben Anderson are to lead ground-breaking research as part of a programme of cross-university ‘Global Challenges‘ projects.

Seminar – Ecologically sustainable growth? Brazilian prospects

CRESI’s  12th March 2009 seminar will be given by Prof Mark Harvey (Sociology, University of Essex). Seminars are held in Room 6.345, are open to all staff and students and are followed by a reception in the Sociology Common Room (6.341).