RESEARCH INTERESTS
During my PhD, I focused on comparative politics, environmental policy, and international relations. Within comparative politics, my substantive research interests lied at the intersections of environmental politics and policy, urban governance and politics, and public policy. Within international relations, my research focused on urbanism and migration, sustainability, climate security, and global environmental governance. Methodologically, I used and conducted research in content analysis, discourse analysis, case studies, and interviews. I have collaborated with quantitative-focused scholars who have leveraged supervised machine learning, human coding, and regression analyses.
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This research page organizes my published and ongoing research projects into the subcategories below.
DISSERTATION
Title: Urban Governance Mechanisms to Combat the Climate Crisis: The Tale of Smart Cities.
Committee: Dr. Benjamin E. Bagozzi (Chair), Dr. John Byrne, Dr. Julio Carrion, and Dr. Muqtedar Khan.
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Project: My dissertation was premised on the idea that smart cities typically adopt a rhetoric of superiority in that they perform exceedingly well as cities, especially in terms of environmental sustainability. Additionally, smart cities have been championed as a panacea for societal ills, including sustainability issues. In turn, my dissertation addresses the following puzzle: whether the reality of smart cities matches the rhetoric. Specifically, the research questions asked, “why do some smart cities successfully address ecological dimensions whilst others fall short?” and "what are the roles of urban governance structures in this variation in success?"
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To answer these questions and the four corresponding hypotheses regarding urban autonomy, inclusive city-level elections, public accountability of urban governments, and citizen participation and e-participation, I employed a mixed-methods approach that featured: case studies (Washington D.C. and Boston in the U.S. and Leeds and Bristol in the UK); content analysis; fieldwork (interviews); freedom of information requests (FOIAs); and a lot of urban scale environmental data.
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Fieldwork: Interviews were conducted with city officials across all four cities and, to a lesser extent, academics, thinktank and non-profit experts, and journalists. Between May 2021 and mid-June 2022, I conducted a total of 77 interviews.
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Data: I collected data for indicators that correspond to each of my hypotheses, as well as data for urban sustainability indicators to assist in assessing cities environmental performance over time.
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A full copy of my copyrighted dissertation can be found here.
PUBLICATIONS AND WORKING PAPERS
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Bagozzi, Benjamin E., Benson, Thomas S., and Koren, Ore. 2023. “Cyclones and Violence Against Civilians: Evidence from the Cabo Delgado Insurgency.” Environment & Security.
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Koren, Ore., Bagozzi, Benjamin E., and Benson, Thomas S. 2021. “Food and Water Insecurity as Causes of Social Unrest: Evidence from Geolocated Twitter Data.” Journal of Peace Research 58(1): 67-82.
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Peer-Reviewed Chapters
Benson, Thomas S. (Forthcoming 2024). “Higher Education Institutions Can Do More To Lead Society Toward Resilience.” In Sustainable Universities and Colleges: Leading or Following Society toward Resilience? Mark Starik and Paul Shrivastava (eds).
Taminiau, Job., Byrne, John., and Benson, Thomas (Forthcoming 2023). “Empirical Analysis of Local Government Efforts in the U.S. to Drive Urban Energy Transition: Subscriber versus Community Solar.” In Urban Energy Transition: Rise of Regeneration – Cities and Regions for a Stable Climate, chapter 8.
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David, Nina., and Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Citizen-Centrism in Smart Cities: Reality or Rhetoric?” In Holistic Approach to Decision Making Towards Smart City Design. George Cristian Lazaroiu, Mariacristina Roscia, and Vasile Dancu (eds). Springer, chapter 13.
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Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “The Culture of Overwork in the Discipline of Political Science.” In Strategies for Navigating Graduate School and Beyond. Kevin G. Lorentz II, Daniel J. Mallinson, Julia Marin Hellwege, David Phoenix, J. Cherie Strachan (eds). APSA, chapter 53.
Benson, Thomas S., and Montoya, T., Mark. 2022. “Concerns for First-Gen Graduate Students: Navigating Political Science Boundaries.” In Strategies for Navigating Graduate School and Beyond. Kevin G. Lorentz II, Daniel J. Mallinson, Julia Marin Hellwege, David Phoenix, J. Cherie Strachan (eds). APSA, chapter 60.
Benson, Thomas S., and Gancheva, Silviya. 2022. “Concerns for International Graduate Students in Political Science.” In Strategies for Navigating Graduate School and Beyond. Kevin G. Lorentz II, Daniel J. Mallinson, Julia Marin Hellwege, David Phoenix, J. Cherie Strachan (eds). APSA, chapter 57.
Benson, Thomas S., and Boyes, Christina. 2022. “Health and Well-being in Graduate School: Preventing Burnout.” In Strategies for Navigating Graduate School and Beyond. Kevin G. Lorentz II, Daniel J. Mallinson, Julia Marin Hellwege, David Phoenix, J. Cherie Strachan (eds). APSA, chapter 64.
Benson, Thomas S., Gentry, Bobbi., and Shugars, Sarah. 2022. “Feeling Like a Fraud: Imposter Syndrome.” In Strategies for Navigating Graduate School and Beyond. Kevin G. Lorentz II, Daniel J. Mallinson, Julia Marin Hellwege, David Phoenix, J. Cherie Strachan (eds). APSA, chapter 50.
Under Review
Benson, Thomas S. “Student Voices from Academia in a Crises World: Political Science and International Relations.” In How We Want to Learn.
White Papers and Policy Reports
University of Delaware Office of Sustainability. (Forthcoming 2023). “Office of Sustainability Strategic Plan.” University of Delaware.
University of Delaware Office of Sustainability. 2023. “Transportation Master Plan” and “Transportation Master Plan: Policy Brief.” University of Delaware.
University of Delaware Office of Sustainability. 2023. “Transportation Survey Analysis Report.” University of Delaware.
Yllemo, Jessica O., and Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “2021-2022 U.S. Defense Enterprise Climate Highlights and Case Studies.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S., Matthews, Bailee., Knoll, Samuel., and Yllemo, Jessica O. 2022. “Bioenergy and Biomass.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Bikeshare Policy Brief: Goals and Recommendations for the University of Delaware and City of Newark.” University of Delaware and Newark City Council. Endorsed by and in collaboration with The Newark Partnership.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Bikeshare Report: An Action Plan for the University of Delaware and City of Newark.” University of Delaware and Newark City Council. Endorsed by and in collaboration with The Newark Partnership.
Benson, Thomas S., and Yllemo, Jessica O. 2022. “Carbon Sequestration Opportunities in West Virginia.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “American Security Project Report: Greenhouse Gas Accounting Method Overview.” American Security Project.
University of Delaware Sustainability Council. 2022. “The Executive Sustainability Plan.” University of Delaware Sustainability Council.
Byrne, J., Nyangon, J., Taminiau, J., Benson, T., and Cristinzio, D., and Ddamulira, R. 2021. “Community Solar Governance, Institutional Design and Collective Choice Options: Implications for U.S. Markets.” Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment (FREE) and the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP), University of Delaware.
Benson, Thomas S. 2021. “University of Delaware Environmental Sustainability Report.” University of Delaware Graduate Student Government.
Thinktank and Foundation Publications
All views expressed in blogposts are my own.
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Benson, Thomas S. 2023. “Farm Bill 2023: Will There Be an Agrarian Revolution?.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2023. “Climate Change and China’s International Image.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2023. “NATO Climate Security Developments Ahead of Vilnius.” American Security Project.
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Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Environmental Considerations for Federal Sustainability Efforts.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “The Changing U.S. Federal Energy Landscape.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S., and Yllemo, Jessica O. 2022. “Food Security and Conflict.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “U.S. Food Security.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “International Action on Food Security.” American Security Project.
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Benson, Thomas S., Koren, Ore., and Bagozzi, Benjamin E. 2022. “Food Insecurity and Unrest: What You Need to Know.” Political Violence at a Glance.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Understanding Food Security.” American Security Project.
Yllemo, Jessica O., and Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Summer 2022 NATO and G7 Climate Security Developments.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Environmental Justice and Renewable Energy.” Foundation for Renewable Energy & Environment.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Sustainability and Resource Scarcity.” American Security Project.
Benson, Thomas S. 2022. “Digital Fieldwork with City Officials in the U.S. and UK.” Georgetown University Digital Fieldwork.
PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES
Presenter. 2023. “Transportation Master Plan.” University of Delaware, Virtual, February 22.
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Participant. 2022. The Students for Zero Waste Conference. Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN), Virtual, November 9-13.
Participant. 2022. Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Virtual, October 18, 26, November 3.
Participant. 2022. Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Summit. Environmental Defense Fund, Virtual, September 13-14.
Presenter. 2022. “University Engagement Project.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Virtual, August 23.
Presenter. 2022. “Final Deliverables: GHG Accounting, and Climate Sustainability Analysis of Continental U.S. Military Installations.” American Security Project, Washington D.C., August 18.
Presenter. 2022. “Bikeshare Report: An Action Plan for the University of Delaware and City of Newark.” Community Engagement Initiative Symposium, Delaware, August 10.
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Presenter. 2022. “Dissertation Fieldwork Findings.” Princeton University, June 2.
Participant. 2022. Future Climate Leaders Summit. The Aspen Institute, Florida, May 9-12.
Presenter. 2022. “Urban Governance and Sustainability in Boston.” Boston University Urban Inequality Workshop, Virtual, April 22.
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Presenter. 2021. “Citizen-Centrism in Smart Cities: Reality or Rhetoric?” Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Virtual, October 20.
Presenter. 2021. “Bottom-up Environmental Collaboration.” Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Virtual, October 12-14.
Presenter. 2021. “Chinese Environmental Policy: Domestic Legitimacy and Narratives.” American Political Science Association, Virtual, September 30 – October 3.
Presenter. 2021. “Chinese Environmental Policy: Domestic Legitimacy and Narratives.” University of Delaware Graduate Research Forum, Virtual, April 23.
Presenter. 2021. “Chinese Environmental Policy: Domestic Legitimacy and Narratives.” Midwest Political Science Association, Virtual, April 14-18.
Presenter and Discussant. 2021. “Eco Harm Framework: An Environmental and Ecological Justice, and Sustainability Framework for Cities.” Western Political Science Association, Virtual, April 1-3.
Presenter. 2021. “Eco Harm Framework: An Environmental and Ecological Justice, and Sustainability Framework for Cities.” DENIN Sustainability Research Symposium, Virtual, March 25.
Presenter and Discussant. 2020. “Citizen Participation in Smart Cities: Washington D.C. and Ottawa.” American Political Science Association, Virtual, September 9-13.
Presenter. 2020. “Smarter Cities: Governance Mechanisms and Environmental Policy Outcomes.” University of Delaware – Current Research in the Study of Politics, Delaware, May 15.