Podcast Interview with Karen O'Brien

In this episode, Dr. O'Brien speaks to the possibility of quantum social theory and what it means for avoiding the hopelessness of social change. She explores what happens when we put human capacity at the forefront for transformative possibility. She challenges us to see new paths to individual agency and true change. There is also a particular focus on climate change mitigation.

Karen O'Brien is a professor of sociology and an internationally recognized expert on climate change and society, focusing on themes such as climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation including how climate change interacts with globalization processes and the implications for human security. She is interested in how transdisciplinary and integral approaches to global change research can contribute to a better understanding of how societies both create and respond to change, and particularly the role of beliefs, values, and worldview in transformations to sustainability. She has been heavily involved in the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Global Change Programmes and the transition to Future Earth, a 10-year global change research initiative. She is the co-founder and partner in cCHANGE, an Oslo-based company.  cCHANGE is a beacon for individuals and organizations seeking a new perspective, inspiration, knowledge, and tools on climate change and sustainability transformations.

Interviewers: Kathy Grimes, Communications Director for Virginia Tech Graduate School and Lara Nagle, Community-Based Research Manager at the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance

Presented in partnership with Virginia Tech Department of Political Science, the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at VT, the Institute for Policy and Governance, the Global Change Center, the Fralin Life Sciences Institute, the Community Change Collaborative, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation at VT.