Dr. Kathryn Hochstetler

Biography

Kathy Hochstetler holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on the interdisciplinary study of environment and development, examining themes such as global environmental negotiations and regional trade agreements like Mercosur. She actively investigates national environmental movements and environmental policy, especially in the context of democratic institutions in South America. Hochstetler has conducted extensive field research in several countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, South Africa, Uruguay, and Venezuela. She is a recognized author, with her notable works including the prize-winning book 'Greening Brazil: Environmental Activism and the State in Society' published by Duke University Press. In 2021, she released another book titled 'Political Economies of the Energy Transition: Wind and Solar Power in Brazil and South Africa' from Cambridge University Press. She has previously held academic positions at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, the University of Waterloo, the University of New Mexico, and Colorado State University. Hochstetler serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Politics in Latin America and is on the editorial boards of several journals focusing on global environmental politics and Latin American political issues. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.

Research Interests

Experience