Research Institute for Social Sciences

Since studying Geography as an undergraduate I have had an interest in transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability. Through my Masters in Sustainable Development I became interested in the role of individual attitudes and behaviour in policy responses to environmental problems. My PhD examined individual action on climate change, addressing both practical (lifestyle change) and political (campaigning) activities. This study adopted an approach based on social practice theory, which emphasises the social and contextual nature of individual action. To explore change in practices over time, the research used a narrative approach, combined with visual life-course tools. 

I am now working as a Research Associate on the “Reducing Energy Consumption through Community Knowledge  Networks” (RECCKN) project.  This is a participatory action research project that explores the potential for  community-level initiatives to drive change in energy consumption.  My role focuses on a case study area in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

• Hards, S. (2011) “Social Practice and the Evolution of Personal Environmental Values”, Environmental Values 20:1

• Lovett, J.C., Hards, S., Clancy, J. and Snell, C. (2011) “Minireview: Sustainability in Biofuels Policy”, Energy and Environmental Science 2:4

• Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2010) “POSTnote 347, Climate Change: Engagement and Behaviour” (briefing researched and written by S. Hards) http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn347.pdf

• Hards, S., (2010) “Book Review: Environment - An Interdisciplinary Anthology (2008), edited by Adelson, G., Engell, J., Ranalli, B. and Van Anglen, K.P.” Environment and Behavior  28, 43:1

• Hards, S. (2010), “Book review: Geographies of nature: societies, environments, ecologies, by Hinchliffe, S.” Area 42

• Haq, G., Brown, D., Hards, S. (2010) “Older People and Climate Change: the Case for Better Engagement”, Stockholm Environment Institute, York.    http://www.sei-international.org/publications?pid=1581

• Hards, S. (2010) “Ecologism” in Golson, J.G., Robbins, P., Mulvaney, D. (eds.) Green Politics , Sage, London.

• Hards, S. (2010) “Postmaterialism” in Golson, J.G., Robbins, P., Mulvaney, D. (eds.) Green Politics , Sage, London.

• Royston, S. and Hards, S. (2009) “Friends of the Earth” in Anheier, H.K. and Toepler, S. (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Civil Society , Springer, New York.