Research Programme on Environmental Attitudes, Values and Behaviour in Ireland
This social research programme has at its core an exploration and analysis of the values, beliefs and behaviour of the Irish population in relation to the environment. The project will be grounded in a large-scale representative sample survey of the adult population in Ireland, as well as an in-depth exploration of environmental meanings using qualitative methodologies.
Compared to other countries, little rigorous research evidence is available about environmental belief, attitudinal and behaviour patterns in Ireland. This project’s quantitative research sets out identify these patterns and to explore the major social and cultural sources of support on which environmental values and behaviour draw. The investigation uses survey research, and explores in particular three major theoretical perspectives. It will thus assess the robustness of the latter as explanatory models of environmental values in Ireland in 2002. The survey research also has comparative and longitudinal dimensions. These derive from the use of the International Social Survey (ISSP) 2000 Module on the Environment. This module has been fielded in Ireland (early 2002) by the Economic and Social Research Institute, as part of the larger Irish Social and Political Attitudes Survey (ISPAS). A similar ISSP Module on the Environment was fielded in 1993 in Ireland, allowing longitudinal comparisons to be made. A Post-Doctoral Research Officer (Quantitative) was appointed in April 2002 on a part-time contract to analyse this quantitative data; a second quantitative Research Officer will join the team in September 2002.
The qualitative aspects of the project will investigate in greater depth some of the more salient environmental attitudes highlighted by the survey research and the theoretical models which may help to explain them. It will also explore attitudes and mobilisations around other major environmental issues and environmental activism. It will thus explore a range of environmental discourses articulated by the public as well as examining how environmental activists are mobilised. It will use focus group and in-depth interview methodologies.
The programme is of 32 months duration, having begun in January 2002. As noted above, the quantitative dimension of the project has already begun with the fielding of the ISSP Environmental Module. A Post-Doctoral Research Officer experienced in qualitative methods is now being sought for the period September 2002-August 2004. While post-doctoral candidates will be preferred, candidates with a Masters degree and research experience in qualitative research in relation to the environment may also be considered, as will shorter contracts, if appropriate.
The completion of research reports is an essential requirement of the post, and publications and dissemination of the findings will be vigorously pursued. In relation to the quantitative research, three reports are required on the following themes: The Evolution of Attitudes in Ireland to Environmental Issues between 1993-2002; The Major Social and Cultural Sources of Support for Values and Behaviour; and The Cross-National Dimensions of Environmental Attitudes. These are required in February 2003, August 2003 and February 2004 respectively.
The Qualitative Research Officer will contribute to the design, with others in the research team, of the qualitative research programme, undertake focus group discussions and qualitative interviews, analyse resulting transcripts, and assist in the writing and production of reports associated with the research programme. This includes two reports in particular: Environmental Discourses Articulated by the Public (due February 2004) and The Making of Environmental Activists (due August 2004).
The research team includes Dr. Mary Kelly (Project Co-ordinator, Social Science Research Centre and Department of Sociology, UCD), Dr Pauline Faughnan (Social Science Research Centre, UCD) and Hilary Tovey (Department of Sociology, TCD)
The research programme is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the Environmental RTDI Programme 2000-2006, funded by the National Development Plan.