Warwick sociologist wins EU grant to study the role of religion in power struggles over mining

The prestigious £1.8 million Consolidator Grant will fund a 5-year, cross-continental, cross-faith investigation of the role of religious authority in the extractive industry.

Claire Blencowe, Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick, has been selected to receive a prestigious Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council. The grant, worth £1.8 million, will enable her to lead a 5-year, cross-continental, cross-faith investigation into the role of religious authority in extractive industry power struggles.

Specific disputes over mining projects have become the frontline of some of the most profound political, social and economic battles of our time. Through case studies in the USA, Brazil, India and Indonesia, Professor Blencowe and her team will examine how religion is mobilised within these conflicts, both to advance the interests of extractive corporations and to empower marginalised local communities who challenge them.

Professor Blencowe said: “I am beyond delighted to have been selected for this award because I feel that the project is so important – not only for multiple academic disciplines, but also for environmental movements, and mining-affected communities, separated by continents and faiths, but connected by global industry and existential challenges.

“The project will transform academic theories about the power and knowledge tactics of extractive industry corporations, spotlighting religious racism and religious nationalism. Equally, it will demonstrate the enduring importance of religion in supporting people who are caught up in the damages and disputes generated by mining. Employing participatory action research, we aim to celebrate, connect and build the existing expertise and capacity of marginalised local communities, fostering democracy for people and planet.”

Professor Ulf Liebe, Head of the Department of Sociology, added: "We are delighted that Professor Blencowe has been awarded this prestigious Consolidator Grant, which recognises the originality and global significance of her research. This award will enable her to build a leading research team in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick to address critical questions concerning power and justice in the context of climate catastrophe. The award also reflects the strength of our department's research environment, and we are excited to see the impact of this project in the years ahead."

Assembly of the project team will begin in early 2026, with recruitment planned for two researchers who will lead case studies in the USA and Brazil.

 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

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Ann Baylis, Media and Communication Officer

ann.baylis@warwick.ac.uk / 07876 876937

 

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