Nina Schneider (ESR 2)
Dynamics of Community Acceptance
Project keywords: dynamics of community acceptance, longitudinal study, qualitative research, wind energy, discourse analysis
I am originally from Vorarlberg, Austria and I have a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. During my Bachelor, I spent a semester abroad at the North Carolina State University.
My master’s thesis dealt with the “Critical Assessment of ‘New Conservationism’: An Austrian Case Study”, comparing market-based approaches and state intervention in the area of climate protection and nature conservation. The market-based approaches were critically assessed and the situation in Austria was captured by qualitative expert interviews.
After my studies, I was working at the University of Applied Sciences in Vorarlberg as a research assistant and I was working on the Interreg Alpine Space Project: AlpSib, which was looking at Social Impact Investment, and especially, Social Impact Bonds.
Now, I am a PhD student at the University of St. Gallen, studying International Affairs and Political Economy and I work as an Early Stage Researcher in the MISTRAL project at the Institute for Economy and the Environment. My research focus lies on the dynamics of community acceptance of wind energy. Acceptance is dynamic and the preferences of the local community evolve over time. My research aim is to get a better understanding of what drives these changes and I also want to investigate what effect the communication by supporters and opponents has on community acceptance.
I see the transition from fossil fuels to renewables as one key aspect in addressing climate change. Thus, I highly appreciate the opportunity to research, learn and work in a diverse environment and on a topic that is highly relevant in general, but also to me personally.
Nina's Supervisors
Professor Dr Rolf Wüstenhagen
Professor of Management of Renewable Energies
University of St.Gallen
Professor Patrick Devine- Wright
Professor in Human Geography
University of Exeter