Dr Noah Zucker joined the Department of International Relations as an Assistant Professor in September 2023, specialising in international and comparative political economy. Read his short interview below, to get to know him better, and find out who his four dream dinner guests are….
Dr Noah Zucker
Find out more on Dr Zucker’s profile webpage
Could you tell us a little bit about your professional background, and what you’ve enjoyed the most about your career so far?
I study the politics of climate change and decarbonisation. It may have been Al Gore’s 2006 film An Inconvenient Truth that triggered my interest in this. I studied climate as an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, graduate student at Columbia University, and, most recently, a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University. I also worked on adjacent issues at a small environmental NGO in New York. I have found teaching and collaborative research to be the most rewarding, invigorating parts of my academic career.
What are you currently working on?
I have two research streams ongoing, each of which is being developed into a book. The first looks at how political institutions, ranging from international organisations like the International Monetary Fund to domestic institutions like central banks, are reinventing themselves to tackle issues of climate change and decarbonisation. The second explores how ethnic, racial, and gender hierarchies amplify the political disruptions of decarbonisation, and considers means of promoting equitable climate policies.
What about this work interests you, and what is its broader relevance?
Climate change may be the defining issue of the 21st century. Beyond its importance, climate is also an inherently interdisciplinary and remarkably multifaceted issue. Studying it allows you to engage with and learn from people in fields ranging from atmospheric science and anthropology to oceanography and engineering, which is a unique opportunity.
What are you looking forward to, or currently enjoying, about working at LSE?
The wonderfully collegial faculty and smart, hard-working students.
Who are your four dream dinner guests (living or dead)?
What do you get up to when you’re not working?
Photography. Hanging out with Dahlia (a schnoodle). Reading about baseball and American football — and typography and type design.
