Caitlin Bunce
Thesis Title: Investigating the problematisation and regulation of English waterway pollution.
While regulations exist to protect English waterways from pollution, with targets for all rivers to reach ‘good ecological status’ by 2027, only 14% of rivers hold this status currently. Waterways are threatened by a ‘rapidly diversifying chemical cocktail’ of agrochemicals, plastics, sewage, and excess nutrients. While waterbodies are set to be placed under significant stress in the wake of climate change, emerging pollutants, such as PFAS, are proliferating under slow and reactive regulation. Different sources of water pollution are unequally treated by regulators. This project employs this case study of English waterway pollution to investigate and inform theoretical literature on the social construction of environmental problems. Specifically, it will explore the construction and regulation of pollution from agriculture, combined sewage overflows, and urban diffuse run-off. Employing literature across social constructionism and environmental sociology, the project conceptualises different forms of water pollution as successful or unsuccessful constructions of environmental problems. By framing this as a process, the research traces how decisions regarding the defining of water pollution into a regulatable problem holds implications for enforcement and administration practices. This will be considered alongside practical challenges for regulation and enforcement. The project explores the ‘sticking points’ along this process which allow water pollution to be insufficiently controlled - including but going beyond the privatisation debate.
Biography
Prior to her ESRC funding, Caitlin completed her undergraduate degree in Social Policy and Criminology BA in 2022, as well as her postgraduate degree in Social Science Research (Criminology) MA in 2023 at the University of Nottingham. During this time, Caitlin worked as a research assistant for four projects across social policy, criminology, and zemiology. She has presented empirical work for the Social Policy Association (2021-2022), her undergraduate dissertation findings at the 'Examining the Multifaceted Harms of Corporate and White-Collar Crime' conference at Erasmus University (2023), and a joint theoretical paper at the 'Green Crimes and Ecojustice' Conference at the University of Utrecht (2023). Owing to these experiences, she has developed a particular interest in the management of environmental problems in UK policy, with deep engagement in the field of green criminology.
Publications
Heydon, J., Chakraborty, R., Patel, V., Wood, C., Wood., D. and Bunce, C. (under peer review) "Reconceiving Domestic Burning Controls: Air Quality Alerts, Behavioural Responsive Regulation, and Designing for Compliance"
Chau, R., D'Angelo, A., Steel, L., Alabbas, N., Bunce, C., Cameron, E. and Strange, G. (2023) "The Current and Future State of Social Policy Teaching in UK Higher Education Institutions: 2023 Report". Social Policy Association, International Centre for Public and Social Policy.
Other Research Interests
Environmental victimology, Environmental Justice
Social Policy
Nottingham
2023 Cohort, +3
Supervisory Team
Prof Steve Farrall
Dr James Heydon