dr. Claire Brouwer

Research Associate, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Organization Sciences

Research Associate, Network Institute

Research Associate, Research Programmes - Social Sciences, Organization & Processes of Organizing in Society (OPOS)

Personal information

Claire Brouwer is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Organizational Sciences, where she conducts research within the Transition to Circular Construction (TranCiBo) program. Her work explores the micro-level social and psychological dynamics that shape the circular transition in the construction sector.

During her PhD, Claire focused on sustainable consumer behavior and sustainability-related communication, with particular attention to how morally motivated individuals stimulate social change. She also served as a lecturer at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona (2017–2021), teaching and supporting courses in Consumer Behavior, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Strategic Management, and International Business Management.

Beyond academic publishing, Claire is committed to bridging science and practice through impact-focused activities. She partakes in engaged scholarship and collaborates closely with CircleCity, a Dutch cooperative, to translate academic insights into practitioner-oriented knowledge and workshops for construction professionals. Additionally, she initiated and produces the research- and practitioner-based podcast “Behind the Construction Fences” together with CircleCity, disseminating TranCiBo’s research findings alongside hands-on perspectives from industry professionals to explore challenges and opportunities in the circular transition.

Research

Claire's research centers on how moral emotions, social norms, identity processes, and minority influence drive sustainability-related change. Using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, she investigates how “conservative” professionals maintain existing unsustainable norms despite broad recognition of the need for change, and how “change agents” advocating for sustainability can challenge and disrupt these norms, ultimately accelerating sustainability transitions.

Work in progress

Brouwer, C., & Broekman, T. (n.d.). Moral emotions in motion: How self-compassion and reproach calibration enhance support for the circular transition [Manuscript in preparation].

In press

Brouwer, C., Bolderdijk, J.W., & Cornelissen, G. (in press). Communicating meat-free principles without coming across as the veg*n judge: Is demonstrating self-compassion the antidote? Global Environmental Psychology

In review

Brouwer, C., Khadim, N., & van Marrewijk, A. The justification of inaction: Does moral disengagement slow down the circular transition? Journal of Business Ethics. Submitted 10^th of July, 2025. In review.

Brouwer, C., & van Marrewijk, A. Concealing circular convictions: Exploring whether signaling of moral judgment suppresses ethical voice in the circular transition. Journal of Business Ethics. Presented at EGOS, 2025, stream 44. Submitted 29^th of August, 2025. In review.

Khadim, N., Brouwer, C., & van Marrewijk, A. From Waste to Worth: Stakeholders’ Interpretation of Value in Circular Construction Projects. International Journal of Project Management. Submitted 6th of October, 2025. In review.

Published

Brouwer, C., Bolderdijk, J.-W., Cornelissen, G., & Kurz, T. (2022). Communication strategies for moral rebels: How to talk about change in order to inspire self- efficacy in others. WIREs Climate Change, e781.

Bolderdijk, J. W., Brouwer, C., & Cornelissen, G. (2018). When Do Morally Motivated Innovators Elicit Inspiration Instead of Irritation? Frontiers in Psychology, 8(January), 1–9.

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