Wilcox+Methodological+Empirical+Theoretical+Practical

=Methodological, Empirical, Theoretical, and Practical Contributions= James Wilcox, Spring 2013

//***More to come soon, hopefully...***//

This study will use multi-sited ethnography (Marcus 1995) to approach the topic of residential energy demand and collective “policy” intervention. The study will be based on data collected through participant observation and ethnographic interviews at field sites such as policy and governance institutions like NYSERDA and everyday events such as residential energy audits. Additionally, data will be drawn from analysis of archival and policy documents surrounding energy use.
 * Methodological**

Focusing on residential energy demand in the United States, this study will contribute to the empirical record in a number of ways. First, it will be unique among accounts of residential energy policy intervention to provide a “thick description” and detailed analysis of the energy audit as a social phenomenon and cultural artifact. Additionally, the study will provide a holistic and comprehensive social analysis of meso-scale residential energy policies, such as those stemming from the Green Jobs, Green New York Act, employing methodological innovations to “follow” a policy across time and space while tracing the relationships it traverses and creates among various subjects.
 * Empirical**

This study will advance social scientific conceptualization of energy use and demand at multiple scales, from national and global “energy imaginaries” and “energy regimes” through middle-level system operations to local interventions that influence—or fail to influence—energy-intensive practices. The study will draw on and contribute to scholarly literatures that examine the role of socio-technical practices in (un)sustainable patterns of living, including social practice theories, the politics of design and technology, consumer studies, new materialism, and critical environmental studies.
 * Conceptual/Theoretical**

Results of this study will help inform the conceptualization and design of energy policies and programs aimed at demand management and system-wide resilience. Such efforts are key to larger issues of climate change and greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy security, and societal resilience in the face of potential disruptions to systems of provision.
 * Practical**