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Scholars

Susan O'Donnell

St. Thomas University

Based in

Canada
North America

Susan O’Donnell is Adjunct Research Professor, Environment and Society Program at St. Thomas University Fredericton.

My current primary research interest is energy technologies–their political, environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects–and how these technologies are framed in the media. My work is highlighting and critiquing the institutional dynamics of the political conflict over climate change.

For the first half of her 25-year research career, Susan worked in Ireland and the European Union. In 2004, she returned to Canada and moved to New Brunswick to be a senior researcher at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in Fredericton.

In 2017, Susan retired from the NRC and continued as a researcher with the University of New Brunswick. In 2021, she joined St. Thomas University which is now her sole institutional affiliation.

Susan is also an activist and writer. Her favourite topics are climate, environmental, feminist, union and political issues.

Country(ies) of Specialty

Canada

Focus areas of expertise

Climate Justice Public opinion

How to Connect

Publications

Articles

Harvey, J. & O’Donnell, S. (2022). “Troublemaking: more questions about Canada’s plutonium funding and nuclear weapons proliferation. The Hill Times (April 2022).

Reeder, R., O’Donnell, S. & Prado, A. (2020). “Leadership for Climate Change Adaptation in a Rural Region in New Brunswick, Canada.” The Journal of Rural and Community Development, 15(2), 55-74.

Aspinall, M., O’Donnell, S., Glynn, T. & Beckley, T. (2019). “Manufacturing Consent for an Extractive Regime in Rural New Brunswick, Canada.” The Journal of Rural and Community Development, 14(4), 27–49.

O’Donnell, S. & Beaton, B. (2018). “A “whole-community” approach for sustainable digital infrastructure in remote and Northern First Nations.” Northern Public Affairs, October, 34-37.

O’Donnell, S. & Perley, D. (2016). “Toward a Sociology of the Reconciliation of Conflicting Desires.” Canadian Review of Sociology. 54(4) 474-481.

Beaton, B., Perley, D., George, C. & O’Donnell, S. (2016). “Engaging remote marginalized communities using appropriate online research methods.” In N. Fielding, R. M. Lee & G. Blank (Eds) The Sage handbook of online research methods (Second Edition). Sage, London. Pg. 563-577.

O’Donnell, S. (2016). “Digital Skills: Unlocking the Information Society (Book Review).” Information, Communication & Society. 19, 1770-1772.

Beaton, B., Burnard, T., Linden, A. & O’Donnell, S. (2015). “Keewaytinook mobile: An Indigenous community-owned mobile phone service in northern Canada.” In L. Dyson, S. Grant & M. Hendriks (eds.), Indigenous People and Mobile Technologies. New York, NY: Routledge. Pg 109-125.

McMahon, R., Gurstein, M., Beaton, B., O’Donnell, S., Whiteduck, T. (2014). “Making Information Technologies Work at the End of the Road.” Journal of Information Policy 4(1).

Molyneaux, H., O’Donnell, S., Kakekaspan, C., Walmark, B., Budka, P. & Gibson, K. (2014). “Social Media in Remote First Nation Communities.” Canadian Journal of Communication. 39(2) 275-288.