Next week’s IRES Seminar is in a new location – CHBE Room 102, UBC Chemical and Biological Engineering Building (main floor, 2360 East Mall)

November 30, 2023: IRES Faculty Seminar with David Tindall

Explaining Who is Perceived as Influential in the Canadian Climate Change Policy Network: A Hybrid Network Approach

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: CHBE Room 102; the Chemical and Biological Engineering Building; 2360 East Mall

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre. 

Click here to register for Zoom link. Zoom will be terminated if we encounter tech problems 5 to 10 mins into the seminar.

Talk summary:

Anthropogenic climate change is arguably the biggest existential threat to humankind, as well as many other species. While earth systems are complex, the natural science aspects of the problem are quite well understood. It is the social, political, economic, and cultural barriers to addressing climate change that are challenging to address. This study examines the perceived influence of different actors in Canada’s climate change policy network just prior to the signing of the Paris Agreement. In this research, we consider the problem of addressing climate change from a policy network perspective. We collect network data on both organizational and individual policy actors. We develop a hybrid approach (synthesizing whole network and ego network approaches) in our analysis. This analysis utilizes data from a representative survey of climate change policy network actors in Canada. Five network relations are examined: communication, sharing scientific information, collaboration, influence in domestic climate change politics, and influence on the respondent’s organization’s policy position. A main finding is that there is a positive association between an actor being central in the communication network and their being perceived as more influential in domestic climate change politics. Also, an actor’s perceived influence on the respondent’s organization’s stance was correlated both with the centrality of actors in the communication network, and in the collaboration network. However, when we examine these findings in more depth, we see that being an actor who provided expert scientific information was not correlated with being influential in either domestic climate change politics, or in influencing the respondent’s organization’s policy position. A related finding -which is also surprising – is that actors who were associated with research organizations were seen as being less influential in both domestic climate change politics, and in influencing the respondent’s organization’s policy position. These findings give us a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between network centrality and perceived climate policy influence, thereby making an important contribution to understanding the social dynamics of climate change policy networks.

 

  Dr. David Tindall, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia

Bio:

David Tindall is a Professor in the Department of Sociology, at the University of British Columbia. His expertise is in social networks, social movements, environmental sociology, and climate change. A primary focus of Dr. Tindall’s research has been on contention over environmental issues. He has developed an ego social network model of micromobilization for collective action related to environmentalism. He has also published extensively on climate change policy and discourse networks. His current research examines the role of social networks in facilitating action to address climate change, and compares and contrasts the roles of virtual and non-virtual social network tie

 

See you next Thursday in CHBE Room 102!

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Bonnie Leung

RES Program Support (she/her/hers)

Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)

University of British Columbia | Vancouver Campus | Musqueam Traditional Territory

Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL Building)

Room 429 – 2202 Main Mall | Vancouver, BC | V6T 1Z4 | Canada

 

Email: bonnie.leung@ubc.ca

Tel: 604-822-9249

The deadline for students to submit their CGS-Master’s applications via the Research Portal is before 5:00 pm PT on 1 December 2023. This deadline is set nationally and is not flexible; UBC has no administrative authority/means to extend the deadline for applicants.

Unlike the Doctoral competition, CGSM application materials cannot be revised after the deadline. Applicants are strongly encouraged to follow the application instructions and presentation standards when preparing their application.

Important reminders regarding transcripts:

• The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies does not provide transcripts for award/scholarship applications.
• The ‘Transcript Checklist – Master’s’ covers questions related to transcript requirements.  The checklist is posted on the Award Administration webpage.
• It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit official, up-to-date transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies via the Research Portal before the deadline. An application will be deemed ineligible if it does not include the up-to-date transcripts required for determining grade point average (academic standing) in each of the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent).
• Transcripts cannot be updated or submitted separately after the deadline.

 

Next week’s IRES Seminar is in a new location – CHBE Room 102, UBC Chemical and Biological Engineering Building (main floor, 2360 East Mall)

November 30, 2023: IRES Faculty Seminar with David Tindall

Explaining Who is Perceived as Influential in the Canadian Climate Change Policy Network: A Hybrid Network Approach

Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm

Location: CHBE Room 102; the Chemical and Biological Engineering Building; 2360 East Mall

No food or drinks allowed in the Theatre. 

Click here to register for Zoom link. Zoom will be terminated if we encounter tech problems 5 to 10 mins into the seminar.

Talk summary:

Anthropogenic climate change is arguably the biggest existential threat to humankind, as well as many other species. While earth systems are complex, the natural science aspects of the problem are quite well understood. It is the social, political, economic, and cultural barriers to addressing climate change that are challenging to address. This study examines the perceived influence of different actors in Canada’s climate change policy network just prior to the signing of the Paris Agreement. In this research, we consider the problem of addressing climate change from a policy network perspective. We collect network data on both organizational and individual policy actors. We develop a hybrid approach (synthesizing whole network and ego network approaches) in our analysis. This analysis utilizes data from a representative survey of climate change policy network actors in Canada. Five network relations are examined: communication, sharing scientific information, collaboration, influence in domestic climate change politics, and influence on the respondent’s organization’s policy position. A main finding is that there is a positive association between an actor being central in the communication network and their being perceived as more influential in domestic climate change politics. Also, an actor’s perceived influence on the respondent’s organization’s stance was correlated both with the centrality of actors in the communication network, and in the collaboration network. However, when we examine these findings in more depth, we see that being an actor who provided expert scientific information was not correlated with being influential in either domestic climate change politics, or in influencing the respondent’s organization’s policy position. A related finding -which is also surprising – is that actors who were associated with research organizations were seen as being less influential in both domestic climate change politics, and in influencing the respondent’s organization’s policy position. These findings give us a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between network centrality and perceived climate policy influence, thereby making an important contribution to understanding the social dynamics of climate change policy networks.

 

  Dr. David Tindall, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia

Bio:

David Tindall is a Professor in the Department of Sociology, at the University of British Columbia. His expertise is in social networks, social movements, environmental sociology, and climate change. A primary focus of Dr. Tindall’s research has been on contention over environmental issues. He has developed an ego social network model of micromobilization for collective action related to environmentalism. He has also published extensively on climate change policy and discourse networks. His current research examines the role of social networks in facilitating action to address climate change, and compares and contrasts the roles of virtual and non-virtual social network tie

 

See you next Thursday in CHBE Room 102!

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Bonnie Leung

RES Program Support (she/her/hers)

Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)

University of British Columbia | Vancouver Campus | Musqueam Traditional Territory

Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL Building)

Room 429 – 2202 Main Mall | Vancouver, BC | V6T 1Z4 | Canada

Email: bonnie.leung@ubc.ca

Tel: 604-822-9249

Mackenzie King Memorial Scholarships

The Mackenzie King Open Scholarship is open to graduates of any Canadian university who engage in (commence or continue) graduate study (master’s or doctoral) in any field, in Canada or elsewhere. One Open Scholarship is awarded annually. The value has lately been $12,000 but is subject to change.

The Mackenzie King Travelling Scholarship is open to graduates of any Canadian university who engage in (commence or continue) graduate study (master’s or doctoral) in the United States or the United Kingdom, of international relations or industrial relations (including the international or industrial relations aspects of law, history, politics and economics).  Four Travelling Scholarships of $13,500 have lately been awarded annually, but the number and value of scholarships are subject to change.

Eligible applicants must be a graduate (holder of a degree) of a Canadian university when tenure of the scholarship begins (September 2024).

Applications must be made to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the applicant’s home university. This is the Canadian university from which the applicant most recently graduated or at which the applicant is currently enrolled.

UBC application deadline: 1 February 2024 at 4:00 pm PT

A complete application package (including references) must be submitted by 4:00 pm PT on 1 February 2024. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

A complete application consists of the following:

Submitted by applicant – SUBMIT APPLICATION HERE

• The completed application form.
  • The application form must be signed at the bottom of the page.
• As indicated in the application form, Sheet A (‘Supplementary information on academic achievements and experience’)
• As indicated in the application form, Sheet B (‘Personal statement’)
• Official, up-to-date transcripts from all post-secondary studies

Submitted by applicant’s chosen referees – SUBMIT REFERENCE HERE (Applicants: Share this link with your referees.  This link is for referees use only; applicants must not submit a reference on behalf of a referee)

• Threeletters of reference
• References must be submitted by the application deadline.  Follow up with your referees as appropriate to ensure that your references are submitted on time.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all application materials (including transcripts and reference letters) are received by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by the deadline.

For more information, including detailed application procedures and eligibility requirements, please see this link:

https://www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/mackenzie-king-memorial-scholarships.