Sarah O'Brien

Sarah O'Brien is a Researcher in Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester. She holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews (2023) and a BA from the University of Cambridge (2016). Her work focuses on the intersections of energy landscapes, temporalities, and ethical frameworks in contexts of nuclear sites and fossil fuel resistance.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy, Social Anthropology, University of St Andrews (2023)
• Bachelor of Arts, Human, Social, and Political Sciences, University of Cambridge (2016)

Research: O'Brien’s current ESRC-funded MIMESIS in Action project examines assumptions shaping future planning around nuclear sites in multiple countries, including France’s La Hague peninsula. Her PhD research explored anti-fracking activism in Lancashire, UK, analyzing truth-telling, responsibility, and societal transformation. She investigates how temporal frameworks and ethics influence energy realities and landscapes.

Projects:

• Principal Investigator on MIMESIS in Action (2022–2026): Explores nuclear decommissioning and future-making through ethnographic fieldwork.

Affiliations: Affiliate Member at the Centre for Energy Ethics, University of St Andrews.

Grants/Advising: Recipient of European Research Council scholarship for doctoral research. Engages in collaborative fieldwork across multi-sited projects.