Rhode Island School of Design

Faculty Member, History, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences

Associate Professor of Sociology

Rhode Island School of Design

About

I'm located somewhere in the zones between sociology, political theory, political ecology/environmental studies, cultural geography, urban studies, STS, democratic theory and design studies. I've loaded up a bunch of older papers and drafts of current work in progress onto this site. I would more than welcome contact from colleagues/students with overlapping interests/queries/points of contestant etc. Drop me an email and let's build our alliances! Here is what I am currently working on:


Current book projects:

(i)'The Environment, Nature and Social Theory: Hybrid Perspectives' - with Alan Rudy and Brian Garreau. This book is attempting to read the environmental debate in general terms and the environmental debate within sociology from a hybrid political ecology. This is a hybrid political ecology which incorporates insights from post structuralist, political economy, a-modern and environmental justice perspectives.
(Under contract with Palgrave - to be submitted in 2012).


(ii) Designing the Future - A History and Sociology of Design Utopias and Design Futurism (Proposal under review with Berg). As the title suggests all about design, futurism and design politics.

Papers:

(i)With Chris Wilbert, explorations of the relations between the writings of the British architect, anarchist and environmentalist, Colin Ward and political ecology and design politics. I am getting interested in histories of vernacular architecture and self build (for Antipode).

(ii) A paper exploring the thinking of the design theorist Tony Fry - particularly as his work relates to political ecology (draft paper given to the Design History Conference in Barcelona, 2011).

(iii) I am also continuing to work on the thinking of Murray Bookchin - currently particular as his thinking pertains to ideas of scarcity, post scarcity, eco-design and liberatory technologies.

(iv) I am slowing working up a Sociology of Design.

(v)I am increasingly work on climate change. I have a bunch of different interests here: (i)'post normal'/post apocalyptic readings of climate change (Mike Hulme/ Roger Pieke Jr) and their implications for eco-design; (ii) science visualization and climate change and (iii) exploring ways in which climate change, political ecology and the fine arts/design might collaborate in a pedagogic setting.

(vii) Engaging more and more with architecture and thinking about architecture in relation to urban space, environmental questions, sociology, urban studies and critical social and political theory.

Contact Information