Politics of the Environment

Environmental politics is a cross-cutting area of research that draws on a university-wide strength in the environment, including the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, the Environmental Studies Program, and the Department of Geography.  In addition, faculty studying environmental issues and graduate courses on those issues can be found in many departments, scattered across the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities.

Political Science Faculty: Hahrie Han, Matto Mildenberger, Eric R.A.N. Smith, and Leah Stokes. Affiliated Faculty and Collaborators: Peter Alagona (Environmental Studies Program; History Department), Sarah Anderson (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management), Dan Montello (Geography Department), Matt Potoski (Bren School of Environmental Scienced & Management), Simone Pulver (Environmental Studies Program), Robert Wilkinson (Environmental Studies Program & Bren School of Environmental Science and Management).

For more information on Environmental Research at UCSB, see: Earth Gate: Whole Earth Science at UCSB 

Graduate Students
Graduate students interested in preparing a field paper on the politics of environmental policy may do so by petition. Pre-approval from the student's faculty advisor and graduate advisor is required for any four courses to be counted as a  qualifying field. 

Graduate Courses Offered
PS 294      - Politics of Environmental Policy (Smith)
ESM 225   - Water Policy (Wilkinson)
ESM 238   - Climate Change Agreements and Politics (Clemencon)
ESM 241   - Environmental Politics and Policy (Anderson)
ESM 243   - Environmental Policy Analysis (Anderson)
ESM 269   - Survey Design and Environmental Public Opinion (Anderson)
ESM 275   - Principles and Practice of Environmental Planning (Wack)
ESM 281   - Corporate Environmental Management (Potoski)

The Environmental Politics Working Group
A group of faculty and students from a number of departments who are interested in environmental issues meets regularly for informal discussions.  They discuss papers presented by faculty and graduate students, current environmental issues, and readings of general interest to the group.

Faculty Coordinator for the Politics of Environmental Policy Focus Area: 
Eric Smith:  smith@polsci.ucsb.edu; 805-893-6160