Dana R. Fisher is a nonresident senior fellow with the Governance Studies program at The Brookings Institution. She is also the director of the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity at American University and a professor in the School of International Service.
Her research focuses on questions related to democracy, activism, and climate politics. Recent projects include a study of responses to climate change by political elites in the US, the emergence of the Civilian Climate Corps, and activism and protest around a range of issues. Professor Fisher has authored over 75 research papers and book chapters and has written six books. She served as Contributing Author for Working Group 3 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Review (IPCC AR6) writing about citizen engagement and civic activism.
Her media appearances include CNN, MSNBC, PBS Newshour, the HillTV, and various programs on NPR. Her work has appeared in media outlets including the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, Politico, the Nation, and the American Prospect. Fisher holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science degree from the Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her undergraduate degree is in East Asian Studies and Environmental Studies from Princeton University.
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Areas of Expertise
- Climate Politics
- Activism
- Democratic Participation
- Protest
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Current Positions
- Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies; The Brookings Institution
- Director, Center for Environment, Community, and Equity
- Professor, School of International Service, American University
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Past Positions
- Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland-College Park
- Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Kluge Center at the Library of Congress
- Visiting Professor, Centre for Sustainability Studies; Lund University
- Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland-College Park
- Guest Professor, Department of Politics and Management; University of Konstanz
- Associate Professor of Sociology, Columbia University
- Visiting Professor, Centre des Amériques; Sciences-Po
- Assistant Professor of Sociology, Columbia University
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Education
- Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- M.S. in Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- A.B. in East Asian Studies/Environmental Studies, Princeton University