LSE's Phelan US Centre recruits student assistants for sustainability research projects


Every year, the Phelan US Centre at LSE recruits undergraduate students to support academic research projects through its Undergraduate Research Assistantships programme. This year, two LSE students have been invited to collaborate on projects specifically linked to the environment and sustainability.

"For me, the importance of developing impartial, facts-based, and inter-generational understanding of the climate issue is one of existential necessity, and I'm excited that the project reflects this sentiment."

Tansim Hasin

Phelan Centre 747 x 560
Arjan Singh Gill and Tasnim Hasin (left to right)

Project Title: Phelan US Centre Sustainability Syllabus Hub - collating reading lists from around the world which address climate change and sustainability as they relate to the US

Project leads: Professor Peter Trubowitz and Chris Gilson, Phelan US Centre

Research Assistant: Tasnim Hasin, Department of Government

Tasnim says of the project: “The outcome of this project will be a free-to-access resource that brings together climate-focused syllabuses from around the world, synthesising different disciplines to produce honest and innovative conversation about effective policy decisions to tackle climate change.

“For me, the importance of developing impartial, facts-based, and inter-generational understanding of the climate issue is one of existential necessity, and I'm excited that the project reflects this sentiment."

 

Project Title: Climate Change and the US right – examining the role of right-wing politicians inpreventing action on climate change in the US.

Project lead: Professor Laura Pulido, Department of Geography and Environment and Phelan US Centre

Research Assistant: Arjan Singh Gill, LSE Law School

Arjan says of the project: "We are increasingly reminded that the state of climate change and shared environmental systems are often in the hands of unempathetic or misinformed politicians.

“Across the globe, whether it be the United States' negligence in the relief of black and brown communities after recent climate-change-induced disasters, or the undemocratic, classist, and unsustainable reforms of India’s agrarian industry resulting in the 2020 Farmer’s Protests; it is clear that domestic as well as international forms of environmental and climate policy have often been created with inherent elitist, discriminatory, and racist intent.

“I am glad to assist Professor Laura Pulido with investigating white-nationalist motivations for climate refusal in the United States, and examining how this has prevented action on climate change in the past.

“From this project, I hope we can learn how discriminatory discourse can lead to intersectional social and economic consequences through environmental politics."