PhD Scholars - Louise Obara
PhD Title
Business and Human Rights: An examination into the nature and scope of business responsibilities in respect of human rights.
Career Experience and Qualifications
After completing her Masters degree in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights from Essex University, Louise joined BRASS in 2003 as a research associate. She worked on a range of projects and was particularly involved in the Land-Use Disputes in Ghana Mining Project and Cardiff Waste Trial Survey and Evaluation Project.
In October 2007 Louise secured funding from the ESRC to complete a 4 year PhD. Her research will focus on the business sectors understanding of the nature and scope of social responsibilities in relation to human rights. Of particular interest to this research concerns how the business community understands, negotiates and manages human rights issues as well as considering the extent to which recent emerging tools and concepts (such as ‘spheres of influence’ and ‘concentric circles’) that assist companies in establishing and applying human rights standards are utilised, or could be of use, in this process.
In addition to her PhD Louise is also involved in a number of BRASS research projects, such as the sustainable communities project.
Research Interests
• Business and human rights (particularly management sensemaking, governance and scope of responsibility).
• United Nations and human rights (particularly the developments in UN thinking and research on business and human rights).
• Corporate social responsibility (particularly CSR development models within organisations). ·
Key Publications
Obara L. J. “Business and Human Rights: A study on how companies determine their human rights responsibilities”. Paper presented at The Corporate Responsibility Research Conference, Leeds, 12 -14 September, 2011.
Obara, L. J. "The international business sectors engagement with human rights: a study of company human rights policies". Paper presented at the ICCSR 6th Annual Symposium (Nottingham University Business School) on Spheres of Influence / Spheres of Responsibility: Multinational Companies and Human Rights, November 7, 2008.
Obara, L. J. 2008. Community engagement in sustainable waste management: the case of recycling in an urban context. In: Marsden, T (ed) Sustainable communities: new spaces for planning, participation and engagement. London: Elsevier
Jenkins, H & Obara L. J. "Corporate social responsibility in the mining industry - the risk of community dependency". Paper presented at The Corporate Responsibility Research Conference, Dublin, September 4-5, 2006.
Obara, L. J. & Jenkins, H "Land use disputes in Ghana’s mining communities: developing sustainable strategies". Paper presented at the 12th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, Hong Kong, April 6-8, 2006.
Obara L J. 'Waste minimisation - a challenge too far? The experience of household waste management and purchasing in the UK'. Paper presented at the conference Waste - The Social Context, Edmonton, Canada, May 11-14, 2005.
Darby L J & Obara L J. 2005 Household recycling behaviour and attitudes towards the disposal of small electrical and electronic equipment. Resources, Conservation and Recycling Volume 44, Issue 1 pp17-35.
Obara L J. 2004. ‘Sustainable consumption and lifestyle changes: the experience of household waste management and purchasing in the UK’. Paper presented at the European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production, Bilbao, Spain, May 12-14, 2004.
Contact Details
Tel: 029 20 876562 (Internal extension: 77373)
Fax: 029 20 876061
Email: ObaraLJ@Cardiff.ac.uk
Room number: 56/2.06
The ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability,
Sustainability and Society
Cardiff University
55 Park Place
Cardiff
CF10 3AT
