Ruth Mayne
Research Interests
Ruth joined the ECI in March 2011. She is an experienced social researcher and has an interdisciplinary background in sustainable development including a MSc from SOAS in Development Economics, and a BA in development studies from the University of East Anglia. She has worked as a socio-economist at Intermediate Technology Development Group; research and advocacy coordinator for CUSO in Colombia; research and policy adviser at Oxfam GB for 13 years; and as an independent consultant conducting research and evaluations and designing participatory monitoring systems . She also has practical experience of low carbon community projects and social enterprises, and is a co-founder and Chair of Low Carbon West Oxford, an award winning community led initiative which aims to cut local C02 emissions by 80% by 2050.
Ruth is currently a researcher on the EVALOC research project. Her current energy-related research interests include: household energy behaviour and use; the potential of, and limits to, community initiatives in addressing climate change (including the balance of responsibility between and respective roles government, council, business, communities and individuals); and the impacts of energy interventions on social equity. She is also interested in how change happens and the drivers and obstacles to government energy policy. Ruth has an interdisciplinary background and her previous research has been on various macro and micro issues relating to sustainable development. Common threads running through her research include investigating impacts of macro policies on communities, and systemising learning and drawing out policy implications from practical change initiatives.
Current Projects
EVALOC : Evaluating the impacts, effectiveness and success of DECC funded low carbon communities on localised energy behaviours which is a socio-technical research project undertaken over three years by an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Oxford Brookes and the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford in collaboration with 6 DECC funded low carbon communities. The EVALOC research project is investigating the effectiveness of these communities in reducing energy use and CO2 emissions, and their success in achieving sustained and systemic change. Funded by the ESRC.
Recent Publications
- Joint authorship (2011) Low Carbon Living: the power to make it possible, LCWO and WOCR, self published.
- Mayne R, Coe J, (2009) Is your Campaign Making a Difference. NCVO. A guide to monitoring and evaluating change initiatives.
- Drahos, P and Mayne, R (Eds) 2003 Intellectual Property, Access and Development, Oxfam-Palgrave, 2003.
- Picciotto, S and Mayne, R (Eds) 1999 Regulating International Business: Beyond Liberalisation, Oxfam-Macmillan
Reports and Briefing Papers
- Various Oxfam GB briefing papers
- Various evaluation reports
Advisory Roles
- Oxfam advisor to the Cabinet Office project on Social, Health and Environmental Aspects of International Trade, 2000.
- Oxfam advisor to the UK government's Independent Commission on Intellectual Property Relations, 2003.