Welcome! I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania. I received my PhD in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.
My research addresses intersecting themes of political violence, territorial regimes, and environmental politics. My book project, Politics after Autonomy: Repression, Rebellion, and Revision, examines the downstream consequences of regional self-governance as they relate to political violence, with a particular focus on state violence against civilians. Another facet of my work investigates the political origins of environmental displacement, how environmental shocks shape the dynamics of political conflict, and how environmental cooperation is achieved in the context of volatility and fragility. I am particularly interested in developing original cross-national datasets (such as the Environmental Displacement Dataset and the Territorial Autonomy 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 International Studies Quarterly (forthcoming), Journal of Peace Research, Global Environmental Politics, Climatic Change, and Climate Policy.
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 Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society.
Contact: achesler@upenn.edu
© 2024