Angela Chesler 

Welcome! I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University and a Postdoctoral Fellow in Global Shifts: Climate Change, Migration, and Urbanization at Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania. I received my PhD in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.      

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My research examines the politics of global environmental crises with a particular focus on the distributional consequences of climate change. I investigate the political origins of environmental displacement, how environmental shocks shape the dynamics of political violence through channels such as migration, and how environmental cooperation is achieved in the context of volatility and fragility. Another facet of my work examines the relationship between territorial politics and political violence, with a particular focus on the causes and consequences of state violence against civilians. My projects leverage mixed methods for evidentiary rigor, including advanced econometric and climatological statistical techniques. I am particularly interested in developing original cross-national datasets (such as the Territorial Autonomy Dataset and Environmental Displacement Dataset) that open new avenues for analyzing urgent global challenges.  

 

My projects have received support from the International Peace Research Initiative, Institute for Social Research, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, the Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the Environmental Change Initiative, among others. I have published articles in journals such as Global Environmental Politics, Climatic Change and Climate Policy, and I currently have articles under review in Journal of Peace Research (R&R) and International Organization. 

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I received my MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University's School of International Service and my BS in Economics and International Affairs from Georgia Tech. Before doctoral study, I worked as a researcher at the United States Institute of Peace. When I am not teaching or doing research, I prefer to spend my time outdoors, ideally hiking or playing sports, especially soccer and badminton. A few times a week, I coach a youth girls soccer team. I'm also an avid animal lover and volunteer with the LifeLine Animal Project.    

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Contact: achesler@hks.harvard.edu