Researching Sustainability: Integrating social science methods, practices and engagement into the research agenda

This is a recording of a presentation given at Methods in Dialogue: Researching the Environment, 13 October 2010 at the University of Manchester.

The final goal of sustainable development is usually defined in terms of improving the quality of life of all people now and into the long term future. In order to reach this goal it is necessary to balance economic, environmental and social goals. A considerable amount of progress has been made in the natural sciences developing techniques to model and measure key aspects of environmental sustainability, such as climate change and resource depletion. This presentation looks at the contribution that social science research methods can make to researching sustainability. By illustrating some of the ways in which social science research methods are being used to develop further our knowledge and understanding of (un)sustainable practice, it is in effect a preparatory discussion. It seeks to prepare the way for a more effective integration of social research techniques into broader cross-disciplinary sustainability research programmes - both by those who have a background in the social sciences and those who do not.