Planetary Praxis

A research group investigating social, digital and environmental justice through practice-based investigations.

Planetary Praxis is an interdisciplinary research group led by Professor Jennifer Gabrys in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge. Planetary Praxis comprises the projects Smart Forests, Planetarities, Citizen Sense, AirKit, and Citizen Data.

Our research focuses on planetary problems, from air pollution to deforestation and climate change. We especially consider how technological approaches to observing and managing these problems influence social life, and how they facilitate or limit democratic engagement and equity.

So far, our research has included working with communities to monitor air pollution with digital sensors, building toolkits for citizens to monitor their own air quality, studying how citizen data influences or challenges environmental decision-making, and investigating smart environments including cities and forests as they become increasingly digital.

We undertake practice-based and participatory research to test technologies in practice. Collaboration with communities and stakeholders is a central part of our research methods. We also seek to critique, repurpose, and transform digital technologies to be more conducive to social, digital and environmental justice.

Planetary Praxis projects have received funding from the European Research Council (313347, 77921, 866006), the CamPo (Cambridge-Sciences Po) Grants Scheme, and the University of Cambridge ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.

View Planetary Praxis projects for more information on our specific research areas.

Meet the Planetary Praxis collaborators and get in touch.