Clare Saunders

Clare Saunders is a Professor in Environmental Politics at the Department of Politics, University of Exeter, and affiliated with the Environment and Sustainability Institute. She is an interdisciplinary environmental social scientist whose work focuses on creating a better world for people and ecosystems through research on climate activism, social movements, and pro-environmental behavior change.

Her research interests include:

• Social movements and environmental politics
• Climate change policy networks
• Pro-environmental behavior change in energy use and clothing
• Motivations and demotivations in climate activism
• Framing strategies in environmental organizations

Clare Saunders employs diverse methodologies such as qualitative analysis, surveys, and experimental designs. Her recent publications show a consistent focus on climate activism in the UK, particularly examining movements like Extinction Rebellion and Fridays for Future, as well as historical developments over the past two decades. She explores factors such as leadership, urgency, scientific certainty, friction within movements, and the impact of undercover policing.

She actively engages in academic discourse, having recently presented at the ISC 2021 Summer School on the continuity and change in UK climate activism. Her collaborative work spans engineering, geography, biosciences, and fashion/textiles, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach.