Ruth Lane

Personal profile

Research interests

In broad terms, my research focuses on the intersections between social change, environmental degradation and environmental governance. I have examined this through studies of the consumption of goods and materials, and associated issues of waste, reuse and materials recycling (Lane and Gorman-Murray 2011), and of the social and cultural aspects of land use change in rural and regional Australia and its biodiversity consequences.

My current research sits at the interface between social science research on consumption and the study of socio-technical transitions at the interlinked scales of the household, the city and the nation.

Waste and household innovation. Lead investigator on the Australian Research Council Discovery Project: ‘Household innovation and the transition to the low waste city’

Waste policy and sustainability transitions. Various submissions to government policy processes based on the Wealth from Waste CSIRO Flagship research collaboration 2013-16 which explored the potential for more advanced metals recycling in Australia.

Measuring the benefits of reuse in the circular economy: this project aims to build understanding of the role of charitable and community organisations in facilitating reuse in the circular economy and to inform policy and programs to support reuse in addition to materials recycling.

Supervision interests

I am interested in research students with a strong background in social sciences with demonstrated experience with social science theory and methods. I particularly welcome applicants in the following areas:

Sustainable consumption – social movements, geographies of waste and recycling, housing and sustainable consumption etc.
Environmental governance at local, national and international scales particularly around waste and recycling, biodiversity, storm water, and air quality
Environmental justice – especially the interface of expert knowledge and community perspectives on environmental change.

Monash teaching commitment

APG5428 Environmental Governance and Citizenship (Master of Environment and Sustainability, core in Environment and Governance specialisation)

APG5230 Field Studies in Environmental Governance (Master of Environment and Sustainability, core in Environment and Governance specialisation)

ATS3546 Environmental Assessment and Decision Making

Research area keywords

Consumption
life course
reuse
recycling
social enterprises
geography
household
Waste management
Material Culture
Land use
Private Land Conservation

Network Recent external collaboration on country level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots.

Projects

2 Active
3 Finished

Household innovation and the transition to the low waste city

Lane, R., Lindsay, J., Raven, R., Arunachalam, D. & Kronsell, A.

1/01/20 → 31/12/22

Project: Research

BC-GRIP Improving Victoria's rental housing energy performance

Lang, M., Lane, R., Raven, R., Zhao, K., Smith, L. & Jorgensen, B.

3/01/18 → 25/03/21

Project: Research

Analysis of Wealth from Waste Household Survey Data

Lane, R.

Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform Limited

5/10/16 → 12/10/16

Project: Consultancy

Mapping, Characterising and Valuing the Resource for Recycling and evaluating collection Systems

Lane, R., Gumley, W., Mudd, G. & Zhu, X.

CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

2/09/13 → 2/09/16

Project: Research

A3.2: Better Regulatory Frameworks for Water Sensitive Cities

Hodge, G., Campbell, C., Freiberg, A., Harris, E., Lane, R. & O'Connor, P.

Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRC)

1/08/12 → 30/06/16

Project: Research

Research Output

32 Article
9 Chapter (Book)
6 Other Report
3 Short Review
4 More

Chapter 7 Conclusion: Collective Conservation Practice in Rural-Amenity Landscapes

Cooke, B. & Lane, R., 2020, Making Ecologies on Private Land: Conservation practice in rural amenity landscapes. 1 ed. United Kingdom: Palgrave Pivot

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review

Downshifting to care: The role of gender and care in reducing working hours and consumption

Lane, R., Arunachalam, D., Lindsay, J. & Humphery, K., 2020, In : Geoforum. 114, p. 66-76 11 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

Everyday life after downshifting: Consumption, thrift, and inequality

Lindsay, J., Lane, R. & Humphery, K., 2020, (Accepted/In press) In : Geographical Research. 14 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

Open Access

File

1 Citation (Scopus)

Introduction

Cooke, B. & Lane, R., 2020, Making Ecologies on Private Land: Conservation Practice in Rural-Amenity Landscapes. Cooke, B. & Lane, R. (eds.). 1 ed. Switzerland: Palgrave Pivot, p. 1-20 20 p.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review

Making ecologies on private land: Conservation practice in rural-amenity landscapes

Cooke, B. & Lane, R., 2020, Cham Switzerland: Palgrave Pivot. 125 p. (Palgrave Pivots in the Social Sciences)

Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research › peer-review

Activities

4 Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
1 Contribution to conference
1 Contribution to workshop, seminar, course

Submission on the Victorian Circular Economy Discussion Paper

Ruth Lane (Fellow), , Julian Yates (Contributor), & Carl Grodach (Contributor)

31 Aug 2019

Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries

New Consumption Geographies

Ruth Lane (Organiser)

13 Jul 2018

Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference

Joint Conference of the International-Geographical-Union/Institute-of-Australian-Geographers/New-Zealand-Geographical-Society 2018

Ruth Lane (Organiser)

Jun 2018

Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course

Draft National Hazardous Waste data and reporting standards

Wayne Gumley (Fellow), & Ruth Lane (Fellow)

2016

Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries