University of Sussex
Browse
Access challenges methodology energethics group 160718.pdf (582.05 kB)

Rethinking access: key methodological challenges in studying energy companies

Download (582.05 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 14:15 authored by Ingrid Birce Müftüoglu, Ståle Knudsen, Ragnhild Freng Dale, Oda Eiken, Dinah RajakDinah Rajak, Siri Lange
Understanding the role of large energy corporations in society is a crucial, yet challenging task for the social science of energy. Ethnographic methods hold potential for plying into corporations’ own self-representations, to reveal the relations of power and politics that determine flows of energy and extractive capital at the global and local level. Ethnography help us move beyond structural analyses, to locate the agents and processes at work within economies of energy production, and identify tensions and dynamics both within the corporation and at the interface with society. We argue that a multi-method and reflexive approach can help social scientists reflect on frictions in corporate encounters, and more importantly that attention to frictions is in fact a gateway to gain new insights about the field. In our research project about Norwegian energy companies and their corporate social responsibility work when ‘going global’, applying a multi-method made us question dominant assumptions within anthropology of what constitutes “access”. We discuss how multiple approaches to “access”, which takes into account the positionality of the researcher, fluidity of research fields along with attention to power dynamics can shape the sort of knowledge that is produced when studying energy companies.

Funding

Norwegian energy companies abroad: Expanding the anthropological understanding of corporate responsibility; G1748; RESEARCH COUNCIL OF NORWAY; 153400/240617

Doing Good by Doing Well'.; G1720; ESRC-ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL; ES/L000636/1

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Energy Research & Social Science

ISSN

2214-6296

Publisher

Elsevier

Volume

45

Page range

250-257

Department affiliated with

  • Anthropology Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Centre for Global Political Economy Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-07-26

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-07-25

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-07-25

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC