Who: Brian F. O'Neill, Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Sociology
Research interests: I am a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working in the sub-fields of environmental sociology and political economy. Substantively, my intellectual engagements involve social theory, ecological politics, environmental (in)justices, and the Anthropocene. Particularly, I am interested in the social dynamics surrounding questions of climate change, water, and the energy transition.
Why Sociology? Sociology offers a unique, some might say unconventional, lens on the world. It has given me the analytical and theoretical tools to be able to identify the patterning's of history, of social inequality, and social struggle that I always was interested in, but lacked the vocabulary and insights to diagnose. Not only that, sociology is also an important way for me to confront the world around me, not only in terms of scholastic critique, but in becoming more engaged as a citizen and in politics. Sociology has many practical applications, from data analysis and writing, to interpersonal skills, but in general I have always felt a strong draw to it for the sense of clarity and curiosity that it has given my everyday life.
Check out Brian's work on his website: https://www.brianfoneill.net