Masseen, Anne | United Kingdom

Anne Maassen is a final year PhD researcher in the Geography Department at the University of Durham, United Kingdom. She did an undergraduate degree in Economics, Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick (UK), followed by an MSc in Environmental Management and Modelling at King’s College London (UK). Anne’s PhD is a comparative study of the uptake of solar photovoltaic technologies in three European cities (Barcelona, London, Paris), aimed at challenging market-mediated and consumer-led theories of technological change by drawing on more refined understandings of the relationship between technology and society. Other research interests include low-carbon transitions, the urban energy system and infrastructural change.


Project at IAS-STS: Exploring the methodological potential of a "network analysis" approach to the study of renewable energy uptake

Exploring the potential of a ‘network analysis’ approach to the comparative study of renewable energy uptake in European cities’This research project, which is situated within wider PhD research on RETs uptake, aims to explore the benefits of a methodological engagement between more traditionally STS methodologies (in this case qualitative interviews and textual analysis) with a semi-quantitative network analysis. The rationale for this comes from the recognition that while STS is at times a highly technical subject area, it relies mostly on qualitative methods. On the other hand, advances in computing mean that social scientists have a powerful arsenal of quantitative and semiquantitative methods and softwares available, and yet, these have been largely underexploited in STS. Particular attention will be paid to the potential contributions of network analysis to understanding technological diffusion, the sorts of data generated (with what limitations), and how STS and network methodologies may complement each other.

Selected publications

Bulkeley H., Maassen A., Castan Broto V. (forthcoming) “Urban energy systems and the governing of climate change” (submission stage) International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley-Blackwell.

Bulkeley H., Castan Broto V., Maassen A. (forthcoming) ‘Governing urban low carbon transitions’ in Bulkeley H., Castan Broto V., Hodson M. and Marvin S. (forthcoming) “Cities and Low Carbon transition” London: Routledge.

Maassen A. (forthcoming) “‘Social science perspectives on energy and the case of urban PV’ (accepted), Proceedings of ICE: Energy, Institution of Civil Engineers, Thomas Telford.

Maassen A. (forthcoming) “Socio-technical trajectories in urban energy systems: London and Barcelona” (revision stages) Proceedings of ICE: Urban Design and Planning, Institution of Civil Engineers, Thomas Telford.