Closing The Loop: How Understanding Consumption Practices Is Central To Enacting Circular Economies

The research investigates the circular economy (CE) which has become a key global environmental
governance concept. The research focus on the role of 'circular actors' (CAs) who are largely ignored
in the literature which instead focuses on users/consumers. The research will examine how their
roles are constructed within the discourses of Welsh and Irish CE governance; interrogate how CE
governance approaches impact the socio-material relations of CAs; and explore how the
institutional structures of CE governance in Wales and Ireland influence the CA's relationships with
the sociomateriality of consumption. The research will involve a mix of qualitative methods. Ethical
issues relate to confidentiality and anonymity which will be addressed through data management
processes. Researcher safety issues relate to lone-working which is addressed through the School's
lone-worker policy