Researcher Details |

Brenda Mcnally

Contact Details

GLA: C142
T:Ext. 5665

E:brenda.mcnally@dcu.ie

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dr Brenda McNally is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Centre for Climate and Society, School of Communications. She is an interdisciplinary researcher specialising climate politics and communications. Her research examines the relationship between media, society and climate policy from an environmental communication perspective and focusses on how ideas about just transitions, socioecological relations and climate futures are being mainstreamed and normalised. She is currently investigating representations of the future of farming and food production, climate misinformation in climate policy debates, as well as the use of digital media to engage communities with climate action.

She has a BSc from UCD, an MSc in Science Communication and a PhD in Communications from DCU. Prior to returning to third level education, she worked in academic publishing, journalism and as a press officer.

Book Chapter

	Year	Publication
	2024	Kelly, O.; McNally, B.; Stephens, J. (2024) 'Climate Obstruction in Ireland: the Transformation of an Agricultural Economy' In: Climate Obstruction in Europe. Oxford : Oxford University Press.
	2024	Brenda McNally (2024) 'Current knowledge and future directions for carbon literacy research: media, messaging, and misinformation' In: The Handbook of Climate Crisis Communication. London : Routledge.

Conference Publication

	Year	Publication
	2023	Andrade B; Crowley, S; Cocco, C; McNally B (2023) Videogame Sciences and Arts. Proceedings of the 13th International Conference, VJ 2023 . In: Liliana Vale Costa, Nelson Zagalo, Ana Isabel Veloso, Esteban Clua, Sylvester Arnab, Mário Vairinhos and Diogo Gomes eds. *'A Videogame for Architectural Design? Minecraft for Young People to Imagine Desirable Climate Futures*

Peer Reviewed Journal

	Year	Publication
	2022	Brenda McNally; Bruno de Andrade (2022) 'Altered spaces: new ways of seeing and envisioning nature with Minecraft'. Visual Studies, 37 . [Link] [DOI]
	2021	(2021) '‘Going digital’ - Lessons for future coastal community engagement and climate change adaptation'. Ocean and Coastal Management, . [Link] [DOI]
	2018	McNally, Brenda (2018) 'Building Carbon Literacy: How the Irish Press Normalise Public Discussion About Climate Mitigation Actions'. HANDBOOK OF CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION, VOL. 3: CASE STUDIES IN CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION, . [DOI]
	2018	McNally, B. (2018) 'Mapping press narratives of decarbonisation: Insights on communication of climate responses'. International Journal of Climate Change: Impacts and Responses, 10 . [Link] [DOI]
	2015	(2015) 'Media and Carbon Literacy: Shaping opportunities for cognitive engagement with Low Carbon Transition in Irish media, 2000-2013'. Razon Y Palabra, . [Link]

Published Report

	Year	Publication
	2023	Brenda McNally and Chiara Cocco (2023) Engaging communities in environmentally-sustainable planning: recommendations for implementing geodesign in local authorities. Fingal County Council, . [DOI]
	2020	Brenda McNally (2020) Citizens' Views of Climate Action in Ireland: Insights on Media Use, Trusted Sources and Perceptions. EPA, . [Link] [DOI]

Other Journal

	Year	Publication
	2015	Brenda McNally (2015) 'Media and Carbon Literacy: Shaping Opportunities for Cognitive Engagement with Low Carbon Transition in Irish media 2000-2013' . [Link]

Conference Contribution

	Year	Publication
	2024	Brenda McNally (2024) International Geographical Congress 2024 Mapping Representations of the Future of Food Production in Media and Strategic Communications about Sustainable Agriculture in Ireland Dublin, Ireland, .
	2023	Brenda McNally; Rabia Qusien (2023) International Association of Communications and Media Researchers Visualising COP: a comparative analysis of images, production practices and news values in Irish and Pakistani media Lyon, France, .
	2023	Brenda McNally (2023) Conference of Irish Geographers Climate Obstruction and Just Transitions in Agriculture Wexford, Ireland, .
	2023	Jennie Stephens; Orla Kelly; Brenda McNally (2023) Environ 2023 - Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium Climate Obstruction in Ireland: A Nuanced Landscape Letterkenny, Ireland, .
	2022	Brenda McNally (2022) Delay as the New Denial Workshop, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs News Media and Climate Obstruction Oslo, Norway, .
	2021	Brenda McNally; Chiara Cocco (2021) Environ 2021 - Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium Knowledge co-production and climate resilience: Insights on stakeholder perceptions of implementing Geodesign Cork, Ireland, .
	2021	Chiara Cocco; Brenda McNally (2021) Conference of Irish Geographers Implementing geodesign in a local development consultation: can co-creation improve climate adaptation planning? Ireland, .
	2019	Brenda McNally (2019) Association of Geographical Societies in Europe (EUGEO) Engaging Farmers with Climate Change: Communications insights from global studies Galway, Ireland, .
	2018	Brenda McNally (2018) PSA 2018 Media, Decarbonisation and Political Engagement: Why we need critical press reporting on Low Carbon Transition Cardiff, 27/03/2018-29/03/2018.
	2018	Brenda McNally (2018) Climate and Energy Communication Green Peace International Conference Italy, .
	2017	Brenda McNally (2017) PSAI 2017 Climate Change and Political Engagement: problematising Irish press discourse on decarbonisation Dublin, .
	2017	Brenda McNally (2017) World Symposium on Climate Change Communication Building Carbon Literacy: How the Irish Press Normalise Public Discussion About Climate Mitigation Actions Manchester, .
	2017	Brenda McNally (2017) Mediating Climate Change Bleak Future: evaluating environmental discourses in Irish press representations about climate mitigation actions University of Leeds, .
	2017	Brenda McNally (2017) Connecting with a low-carbon future: the challenges for the arts and humanities Public Talk about low-carbon transition: how the Irish press shapes ways of talking about carbon reduction activity University of Stirling, 19/04/2017-20/04/2017.

Professional Associations

	Association	Function	From / To
	International Association of Media and Communication Researchers	Member	-
	Irish Fulbright Alumni Association	Member	-

Honors and Awards

Date	Title	Awarding Body
01/01/2023	UK-Ireland Knowledge Frontiers Symposium: The Future	British Academy and Royal Irish Academy
01/06/2019	Fulbright Irish Scholar	Fulbright Ireland
01/01/2011	Daniel O'Hare Scholar	Dublin City University

Employment

Employer	Position	From / To
Trinity College Dublin	Post Doctoral Researcher	07/01/2019 - 06/01/2020
University College Dublin	Research Staff	27/10/2020 - 25/02/2022
Dublin City University	Assistant Professor	05/09/2016 - 31/08/2018

Reviews

	Journal	Role
	Visual Studies	Reviewer

Other Activities

	Description

Creative Outputs

	Year	Title	Type
	2022	Climate Wicked Geogame	Exhibition

Outreach Activities

	Year	Engagement Type	Organisation	Description
	2023	Educational Outreach/Public Engagement	An Taisce; Goal; ActionAid; Concern; Ireland India Institute	Developed and organised activities for the first Climate Justice Week in DCU. This was included as the theme for Green Week in the Student Calendar. The week involved collaboration with DCU centres and institutes as well as external organisations.
	2023	Advisory Work	National Economic and Social Council	Just Transitions in Agriculture

Media

Title	Year	Type	Authors
5 Ways to increase your carbon know-how and live more sustainably	2022	Newspaper article (online)	Brenda McNally
Well Off-Irish People Do the Most Climate Damage	2023	Newspaper column (Print)	Fintan O'Toole
How age and gender influence our views of climate change	2020	Newspaper article (online)	Brenda McNally
If Fear Wont Work, How Can We Encourage Climate Action?	2021	Newspaper article (Print)	Michael Viney

Research Interests

Climate Politics; Climate Misinformation; Just Transitions; Climate Communications; Climate Justice; Climate Imaginaries; Digital Engagement;

Research Projects

Title	Role	Description	Start date	End date
Land Use Futures	Co-PI, Researcher	A cross-border collaboration of the social, cultural and economic challenges of transitioning to a post-carbon future in rural areas.	03/04/2023	31/10/2024
Extending Citizens’ Think-Ins to New Domains via Community Partnership	Co-PI, Researcher	Leveraging Citizen's Think-Ins for community engagement with the Circular Economy	01/03/2023	29/09/2023
Citizens’ Views of Climate Action in Ireland: Insights on Media Use, Trusted Sources and Perceptions	PI, Lead Researcher	This project investigated citizens’ views of and media consumption about climate actions in Ireland to supports climate policy communications	07/01/2019	06/01/2020
The Boh's Way – Impact Assessment and Recommendations	PI, Lead Researcher	Impact assessment of a Creative Ireland funded community engagement project to encourage collective climate action	15/03/2023	14/01/2024

Contract Researchers

	Researcher Name	Project	Funding Body
	Sukanya Shukla	Bohs Way Walking Trail
	Rabia Qusien	Bohs Way - Impact Assessment

Internal Collaborators

	Type	Name	Company	Role
	Internal	Prof Ronny Munck	Centre for Engaged Research	Academic

External Collaborators

Type	Name	Company	Role
External	Dr Stuart Henderson	University of Ulster, Department of Acc, Finance & Economics	Academic
External	Dr Chiara Cocco	University College Dublin, School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Pollicy	Academic
External	Dr Orla Kelly	University College Dublin, School of Social Policy	Academic
External	Prof Jennie Stephens	Northeastern University, School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs	Academic