Author Archives: Richard Hawkins

Richard Hawkins

About Richard Hawkins

Richard is a Director of the Public Interest Research Centre (PIRC), and a researcher, communicator and designer. He has a degree in Law, specialising in International Environmental Law, from the University of Nottingham and a MSc in Energy and Environmental Studies. He is also a fellow of the RSA.

Cultivating Community Action in Scotland: a Values Approach

Starting in September 2013, Common Cause and the UN Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development Scotland will be running an Action Learning Programme (ALP) to develop practical approaches to applying Common Cause. The aim of the ALP is to catalyse action that contributes to … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on April 15, 2013 with No Comments

Common Cause Introductory Workshop

London, January 25th 10-4.30pm

By Richard Hawkins on December 21, 2012 with No Comments

Common Threads – October

Interesting things we’ve been reading, watching or listening to this month: The cognitive impact of the Olympics: “this young woman has spent her entire professional life sacrificing her mental and physical health for an abstract ideal that will not actually … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on October 31, 2012 with No Comments

Common Threads – September

Why good people do bad things – On moving towards a more realistic ethical frame – and recognising that currently, a ‘business frame’ and an ‘ethical frame’ prompt very different values and reactions. NGO-business partnerships – One from last year, … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on September 25, 2012 with No Comments

Common Threads – August

Interesting things we’ve been reading, watching or listening to this month: Controversial new paper on the development movement - A discussion of a new paper on how ‘[big-D] Development “depoliticises poverty by viewing it as a technical problem to be ‘solved’,” … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on August 30, 2012 with No Comments

More responses to Tony Juniper: 
vision, experience and evidence

In the wake of Tony Juniper’s recent Independent blog on the role of values in environmental and social change campaigning, a number of people in the Common Cause network sent reflections on the points he raises about the “Values Modes” approach … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on August 2, 2012 with 4 Comments

Common Threads – July

Interesting things we’ve been reading, watching or listening to this month: Winning The Story Wars - Jonah Sachs’ new book discusses the need for stories to create meaning and inspire change, and the shortcomings of our cultural stories, currently dominated by … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on July 24, 2012 with No Comments

Common Cause Internships

There are two exciting internship opportunities within the Common Cause network this month, both hosted by the Public Interest Research Centre. The first is a Common Cause Internship working on core Common Cause activities, from liaising with academics and summarising new research … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on May 15, 2012 with No Comments

Finding Common Cause

In Common Cause workshops, I often talk about the various lens we each use to view the world. As communicators or campaigners we may already have a well-focused ‘power’ lens. We’re good at asking: “Who makes the decisions?”, “Who influences … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on October 19, 2011 with No Comments

Greg Maio: Don’t mind the gap between values and action

Professor Greg Maio of Cardiff University has written a short and helpful briefing on the value-action gap. He concludes: The upshot of all this is that, in working to tackle environmental and social problems, we overlook the importance of values … Read more

By Richard Hawkins on August 8, 2011 with 1 Comment