Current Post: Senior Lecturer

Room Number: ZICER 1.18

Telephone: 01603 592956 (+44 1603 592956)

Fax: 01603 593739 (+44 1603 593739)

Email: g.seyfang@uea.ac.uk

Publications: EPrints Digital Repository

Research Interests

sustainable consumption; low-carbon lifestyles; community-based innovation; action and governance for sustainability; complementary currencies; local food systems; sustainable housing; systems of provision; institutions.


Biography

My research focuses on questions of consumption, lifestyles and community-based action to reduce ecological footprints. It has included empirical studies of grassroots sustainability initiatives such as complementary currencies (Local Exchange Trading Schemes, Time Banks, and carbon currencies), microcredit, local organic food systems, low-impact eco-housing (strawbale building and Earthships). I have developed themes of ‘new economics’ and ‘localisation’ around consumption issues, which explicitly aim to reduce carbon emissions and material flows (food miles, the zero-carbon house, sustainable consumption). At the same time, I have been examining ‘ecological citizenship’ which entails collective action to formulate innovative socio-economic institutions and infrastructure for sustainable development. In 2007 I was awarded an RCUK Academic Fellowship in Carbon Mitigation and Management, and currently I am building a research programme and team around 'Low Carbon Lifestyles', examining community-led socio-technical innovations (or grassroots innovations) to reduce carbon emissions, and operationalising concepts of 'carbon capability', an essential skill for the twenty-first century. 


Significant Publications

• Seyfang, G. (2009) The New Economics Of Sustainable Consumption: Seeds Of Change (Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke).
• Seyfang, G. and Smith, A. (2007) ‘Grassroots Innovations for Sustainable Development: towards a new research and policy agenda’ in Environmental Politics Vol 16(4) pp. 584-603. DOI: 10.1080/09644010701419121
• Seyfang, G. (2006). Sustainable Consumption, the New Economics and Community Currencies: developing new institutions for environmental governance. Regional Studies 40(7): 781-791, doi: 10.1080/00343400600959173 

• Seyfang, G. (2006). Ecological Citizenship and Sustainable Consumption: Examining local food networks. Journal of Rural Studies 22(4): 385-395, doi: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2006.01.003

• Seyfang, G. (2005). Shopping for Sustainability: Can sustainable consumption promote ecological citizenship? Environmental Politics 14(2): 290-306, doi: 10.1080/09644010500055209

• Seyfang, G. (2004). Consuming Values and Contested Cultures: A Critical Analysis of the UK Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production. Review of Social Economy 62(3): 323-338, doi: 10.1080/0034676042000253936

• Seyfang, G. (2001). Community Currencies: Small Change for a Green Economy. Environment and Planning A 33(6): 975-996, doi: 10.1068/a33216
• Jenkins, R., R. Pearson, and G. Seyfang (eds) (2002). Corporate Responsibility and Labour Rights: Codes of Conduct in the Global Economy (Earthscan, London) [link]

Page last updated 2 February 2012