Tabitha M. Benney portrait
  • Associate Professor, Political Science Department
  • Affiliated Faculty, University of Utah, Center for Global Change and Sustainability
  • Affiliated Faculty, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, University of Utah
  • Research Fellow, Earth System Governance (ESG) Network
  • Affiliated Researcher, The Griffith Criminology Institute and Global Risk Governance Program, University of Cape Town
  • Assistant Professor, Political Science Department
  • Affiliated Faculty, Center for Genomic Medicine
  • Affiliated Faculty, Latin American Studies Program
  • Affiliated Faculty, Asian Studies Program
801-585-7475

Publications

  • Daniel L. Mendoza, Tabitha M. Benney, Erik T. Crosman, Ryan Bares, Derek V. Mallia, Cheryl S. Pirozzi, Andrew L. Freeman & Sarah Boll (2022). “Understanding Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality Using Direct Measurement in a Clinical Setting During Elevated Pollution Events.”. Science Advances. Accepted, 10/01/2022.
  • Tabitha M. Benney and Benjamin Cohen (2022) “The International Currency System Revisited.” Review of Keynesian Economics, 10(4) Winter. Published, 01/01/2022.
  • Amanda Bertana (2022). “Beyond Maladaptation: Structural Barriers to Successful Adaptation,”. Environmental Sociology (RENS). Published, 01/01/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2022.2068224
  • Daniel L. Mendoza, Tabitha M. Benney, Ryan Bares, Benjamin Fasoli, Corbin Anderson, Shawn A. Gonzales, Erik T. Crosman & Sebastian Hoch (2022). “Investigation of Indoor and Outdoor Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations in Schools in Salt Lake City, Utah (USA),”. Pollutants 2. Vol. no. 1, 82-97. Published, 01/01/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants2010009
  • Daniel L. Mendoza, Tabitha M. Benney, Ryan Bares, Benjamin Fasoli, Corbin Anderson, Shawn A. Gonzales, Erik T. Crosman, Madelyn Bayles, Rachel T. Forrest, John R. Contreras & Sebastian Hoch (2022). “Air quality and behavioral impacts of anti-idling campaigns in school drop off zones,”. Atmosphere. Vol. 13, 706. Published, 01/01/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13050706
  • Tabitha M. Benney, Devon Cantwell, Phillip Singer, Linda Derhak, Samuel Bey & Zahra Saifee (2021). “Understanding Perceptions of Health Risk and Behavioral Responses to Air Pollution in the State of Utah (USA),” 1373. Open access:. Atmosphere (MDPI). Vol. 12, 1373. Published, 12/11/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12111373
  • Daniel L. Mendoza, Tabitha M. Benney, Rajive Ganguli, Rambabu Pothina, Cheryl S Pirozzi, Cameron Quackenbush, Sam Baty, Erik T Crosman & Yue Zhang (2021). The Role of Structural Inequality on COVID-19 Incidence Rates at the Neighborhood Scale in Urban Areas. COVID. Vol. 1, 186-202. Published, 08/01/2021.
    https://www.mdpi.com/1217034
  • Daniel Mendoza, Tabitha M. Benney & Sarah Boll (2021). Long-term Analysis of the Relationships between Indoor and Outdoor Fine Particulate Pollution: A Case Study Using Research Grade Sensors. Science of the Total Environment. Vol. 776, 145778. Published, 07/01/2021.
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
  • Daniel Mendoza, Tabitha M. Benney, Ryan Bares & Erik T Crosman (2021). Intra-city variability of fine particulate matter during COVID-19 lockdown: A case study from Park City, Utah. Environmental Research. Vol. 201, 111471. Published, 06/01/2021.
    http://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111471
  • Mendoza DL (2021). Long-term analysis of the relationships between indoor and outdoor fine particulate pollution: A case study using research grade sensors. The Science of the total environment. Vol. 776, 145778. Published, 04/01/2021.
  • Tabitha M. Benney, Devon Cantwell, Phillip Singer, Linda Derhak, Samuel Bey & Zahra Saifee (2021). “Understanding Perceptions of Health Risk and Behavioral Responses to Air Pollution in the State of Utah (USA),”. Atmosphere. Vol. 12, 1373. Published, 01/01/2021.
    https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/11/1373
  • Michele Betsill, Tabitha Benney & Andrea Gerlak (2020). Agency in Earth System Governance. Cambridge University Press. Published, 12/01/2020.
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/agency-in-ear...
  • Tabitha M. Benney (2020). “Review of John Mikler’s, The Political Power of Global Corporations". (pp. 518-519). Public Administration Review, Polity Press. Published, 10/02/2020.
  • Daniel Mendoza, Martin Buchert & John Lin (2020). The Impact of Media and Environmental Variables on Transit Ridership. Vehicles. Vol. 2, 507-522. Published, 08/12/2020.
    http://www.mdpi.com/2624-8921/2/3/507
  • Daniel L Mendoza, Rajive Ganguli, Rambabu Pothina, Yue Zhang , Erik T Crosman, Cheryl S Pirozzi & Benjamin Krick (2020). Understanding the Relationship between Social Distancing Policies, Traffic Volume, Air Quality, and the Prevalence of COVID-19 Outcomes in Urban Neighborhoods. ArXiv. Published, 07/16/2020.
    https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.01828
  • Prasoon Singh, Galeotti, Marzio, Zimmer, Markus, Sedaoui, Radia, Otto, Christian & Lunga, Wilfred (2020). Policy Brief: Coastal Challenges: Mainstream Climate Action in the G20 Development Agenda. Task Force 2: Climate Change and Environment, G-20 Commission, Saudi Arabia. Published, 03/02/2020.
  • Tabitha M. Benney, Robert Chaney, Phillip Singer & Chantel Sloan (2020). Utah Air Quality Risk and Behavioral Action Survey Dataset. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. Published, 02/24/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.3886/E117904V1-45220
  • Gerlak, A., Betsill, M., Patterson, J., Chan, S., Benney, T., Brisbois, M., . . . Scobie, M. (2020). Conclusion: Policy Implications of ESG–Agency Research and Reflections on the Road Ahead. In M. Betsill, T. Benney, & A. Gerlak (Eds.), Agency in Earth System Governance (pp. 183-197). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108688277.015. Published, 01/31/2020.
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/agency-in-ear...
  • Scobie, M., Benney, T., Brown, C., & Widerberg, O. (2020). Conceptualizing Agency and Agents in Earth System Governance. In M. Betsill, T. Benney, & A. Gerlak (Eds.), Agency in Earth System Governance (pp. 25-37). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108688277.002. Published, 01/31/2020.
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/agency-in-ear...
  • Benney, T., Orsini, A., Cantwell, D., & Iozzelli, L. (2020). Theories and Methods of Agency Research in Earth System Governance. In M. Betsill, T. Benney, & A. Gerlak (Eds.), Agency in Earth System Governance (pp. 38-51). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108688277.003. Published, 01/31/2020.
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/agency-in-ear...
  • Betsill, M., Benney, T., Gerlak, A., Brown, C., Chan, S., Enechi, O., . . . Widerberg, O. (2020). Introduction: Agency in Earth System Governance. In M. Betsill, T. Benney, & A. Gerlak (Eds.), Agency in Earth System Governance (pp. 3-24). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108688277.001. Published, 01/31/2020.
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/agency-in-ear...
  • Michele Betsill, Tabitha M. Benney & Andrea K. Gerlak (2020). Agency in Earth System Governance Dataset. Earth System Governance Network. Published, 01/01/2020.
    https://www.earthsystemgovernance.org/publication/...
  • Froestad, Jan and Benney, Tabitha M. (2019) “China: A Green Energy Fulcrum?” in Environmental and Planning Law (Thomson Reuters) 36: 605-618. Published, 09/30/2019.
  • Tabitha Benney (2019). “Renewable Energy and the Varieties of Capitalism in Emerging Economies” . Journal of Economic Policy Reform. Published, 08/14/2019.
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17487...
  • Tabitha Benney (2018). “Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Vulnerability" in Routledge Handbook on Ethics in International Relations.. (pp. Chapter 27). Routledge Press. Published, 06/28/2018.
    https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Et...
  • Tabitha Benney & Stacy D. VanDeveer (2018). “Review of Craig M. Kauffman’s Grassroots Global Governance: Local Watershed Managements Experiments and the Evolution of Sustainable Development”. (pp. 159-159). Vol. 18. Global Environmental Politics. Published, 05/01/2018.
    https://muse-jhu-edu.ezproxy.lib.utah.edu/article/...
  • Benney, Tabitha (2016) "The Challenge of Putting a Price on Carbon Emissions in the United States" Carbon Equity Forum, Rockafeller Foundation/Scholars Strategy Network. Published, 04/19/2016.
    http://www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/page/challe...
  • “Currency Competition Today,” (2015) with Benjamin J. Cohen in Currency Power: Understanding Monetary Rivalry, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Published, 09/2015.
    http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10577.html
  • Making Environmental Markets Work: The Varieties of Capitalism in Emerging Economies (2014) New York, NY: Routledge Press. Published, 12/18/2014.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=7kacBQAAQBAJ&pg=...
  • “Can Capitalism Save the Environment?” (Nov/Dec 2014) The World Financial Review, London, UK (www.worldfinancialreview.com). Published, 11/18/2014.
    http://www.worldfinancialreview.com/?p=3122
  • “What Does the International Currency System Really Look Like?” (2013) with Benjamin J. Cohen. Review of International Political Economy.. Published, 12/2013.
    http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/096922...
  • “Private-sector Response to Climate Change in the Global South” (2013) with Simone Pulver, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published, 07/23/2013.
    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wcc.240...
  • “Carbon Markets and Low-carbon Investment in Emerging Economies” (2011) with Nathan E. Hultman, Simone Pulver, Sergio Pacca, Samir Saran, Lydia Powell, and Viviane Romeiro, Energy Policy 39:10, p. 6698-6700. Published, 10/01/2011.
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...
  • “Review of Eric J. Morser, 'Hinterland Dreams: The Political Economy of a Midwestern City'” (2012), Urban History 39:1, 192-193. Published, 07/01/2011.
    http://jah.oxfordjournals.org/content/98/4/1169.ex...

Research Statement

Within the field of International Relations, my scholarly research is situated in the subfield of International Political Economy (IPE), with a focus on International Finance, Energy and Environmental Politics, and Research Methods.  My research agenda has been supported by overseas fieldwork, participation in local and international workshops, and a strong policy orientation, which I developed while working as a Junior Program Officer in the Policy and Global Affairs Division of the National Academy of Science (NAS) prior to undertaking my PhD.  Although all my work is theoretically informed, my research agenda also places a heavy emphasis on innovative methods and comparative policy analysis.  By incorporating a comparative, multi-method perspective into my research, I hope to move beyond conventional policy approaches to better address the many challenges that we face in a globalized world.

Research Keywords

  • Environmental Justice
  • Air Pollution, Indoor
  • Air Pollution
  • International Political Economy
  • Global Climate Change
  • Environmental Policy
  • International Relations or Diplomacy
  • Capitalism
  • Economics Studies - Developing Countries
  • Sustainability
  • International or Global Development
  • Energy Planning or Policy
  • Currency Markets

Presentations

  • “Thinking Toward the Future: U.S. Carbon Pricing Strategies,” International Studies Association, Baltimore, MD (February 2017). Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 02/23/2017.
  • "Taming Capitalism: The International Political Economy of Renewable Energy in Emerging and Developing Economies,” Earth System Governance Conference ~ Canberra, Australia. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 12/16/2015.
  • “Putting a Price on Emissions in the US,” Carbon Equity Forum ~ Scholars Strategy Network, Harvard University. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/30/2015.
  • “Capitalism and Energy Markets in the Emerging Economies,” American Political Science Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 09/09/2015.
  • “Capitalism and Clean Energy in the Emerging Economies,” International Studies Association, New Orleans, LA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 02/25/2015.
  • “Rethinking Energy Geopolitics,” (by invitation) Working Group Member, International Studies Association Conference, New Orleans, LA. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/2015.
  • “Putting Capitalism to Work for the Environment,” International Studies Association – West Conference, Pasadena, CA (September 2014). Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 09/10/2014.
  • The Wasatch Experience (by invitation),” University of Utah, an interdisciplinary conference on teaching sustainability. Other, Other, 08/20/2014.
  • “Preparing for Publication,” Marriott Library, University of Utah. Presentation, Presented, 04/2014.
  • “Competing Theories of Market Drivers: A Variety of Capitalism (VoC) Approach to Environmental Markets in Emerging Market Economies,” International Studies Association Conference, Toronto, Canada. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 03/2014.
  • “Presentations and Job Talks” Professional Skills Development, Department of Political Science, University of Utah . Presentation, Presented, 03/2014.
  • “Global Political Economy of Energy (Working Group by invitation only),” International Studies Association Conference, Toronto, Canada. Panel, Presented, 03/2014.
  • “Understanding the International Currency System,” Political Research Colloquium, Department of Political Science, University of Utah. Presentation, Presented, 11/01/2013.
  • “A Line in the Sand: Syria and US Foreign Policy,” Political Science Student Association, University of Utah. Panel, Presented, 10/08/2013.
  • “What Does the International Currency System Really Look Like?” American Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 08/30/2013.
  • Speaker, “Intra-city variability of fine particulate matter during COVID-19 lockdown: A case study from Park City, Utah,” Department of Geography, University of Utah. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/01/2021.
  • “Structural Inequality and Neighborhood Level Disparities in Pandemic Policies,” Inequality, Health Disparities, and Environmental Justice Panel, American Political Science Association, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA (September 2021). Conference Paper, Presented, 09/15/2021.
  • “COVID-19: Global Challenges to Global Transformation,” Joint Meeting of the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM) and the University of Engineering & Management (UEM), Kolkata, India. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/16/2021.
  • Speaker, “Interdisciplinary Research in International Relations,” Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Methodology, Georgetown University. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/21/2021.
  • “Low Carbon Energy Transitions in the Westphalian System,” International Studies Association, Las Vegas NV (April 2021). Conference Paper, Presented, 04/13/2021.
  • “Intra-city variability of fine particulate matter during COVID-19 lockdown: A case study from Park City, Utah.” Air Quality: Science for Solutions Conference (March 2021). Conference Paper, Presented, 03/25/2021.
  • Speaker, “Why Did India Fare So Well During the Pandemic?” Go Learn and Continuing Education, At Home Speaker Series (March 2021). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/03/2021.
  • “Prioritizing Equity in Climate Resilience Planning,” Hinckley Institute of Politics, University of Utah (2021). Panel, Presented, 03/03/2021.
  • “Impacts of Structural Inequality and Pandemic Policies on COVID-19 Outcomes at the Neighborhood Level in Salt Lake County” University of Utah, Nexus Center. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 01/21/2021.
  • Panelist, “Prioritizing Equity in Climate Resilience Planning,” Hinckley Institute of Politics, University of Utah. Panel, Presented, 01/21/2021.
  • “Social and Behavioral Perspectives on Negative Emission Technologies,” Carbon Storage in the Built Environment, University of Utah (December 2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/09/2020.
  • “COVID-19: Global Challenges to Global Transformation,” Joint Meeting of the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM) and the University of Engineering & Management (UEM), Kolkata, India. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/03/2020.
  • “Interdisciplinarity Research in International Relations,” Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Methodology, Georgetown University. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/26/2020.
  • “Environmental Change in Social and Behavioral Sciences,” The Air We Breathe: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Air Quality, University of Utah . Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/12/2020.
  • “Impacts of Structural Inequality and Pandemic Policies on COVID-19 Outcomes at the Neighborhood Level in Salt Lake County” University of Utah, Nexus Center. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 01/23/2020.
  • “Social and Behavioral Perspectives on Negative Emission Technologies,” Carbon Storage in the Built Environment, University of Utah . Presentation, Presented, 12/04/2019.
  • “Environmental Change in Social and Behavioral Sciences,” The Air We Breathe: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Air Quality, University of Utah. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/21/2019.
  • • “China: A Global Renewable Energy Fulcrum?” Energy Transitions: Governing Unconventional Gas, Renewables and the Energy-Environment Nexus, the PLuS Alliance Workshop, UNSW Law, Sydney, Australia. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 02/13/2019.
  • “The ESG-Agency Harvesting Initiative,” Agency Harvesting Workshop, Earth System Governance Annual Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands, (Nov 2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 11/08/2018.
  • “Theories and Methods of ESG-Agency Research,” Agency Harvesting Workshop, Earth System Governance Annual Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands, (Nov 2018). Conference Paper, Presented, 11/06/2018.
  • “Theories and Methods of ESG-Agency Research,” Agency Harvesting Workshop, Earth System Governance Annual Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands, (Nov 2018). Conference Paper, Presented, 11/01/2018.
  • “QCA, Mixed Methods, and Comparative Applications,” University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 06/06/2018.
  • “Mentoring Women in International Political Economy (IPE)” . Invited Talk/Keynote, Accepted, 04/05/2018.
  • “Innovations in Comparative Capitalism" Working Group Co-Convener, International Studies Association Conference, San Francisco, CA . Invited Talk/Keynote, Accepted, 04/03/2018.
  • “Renewable Energy in Emerging and Developing Economies” Innovations in Comparative Capitalism, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT . Invited Talk/Keynote, Accepted, 09/28/2017.

Research Groups

  • Air Quality Research Team, Research Professor. Political Science and Public Policy, Environmental Studies. 07/2021 - present.

Grants, Contracts & Research Gifts

  • “The Compounding Impacts of Climate Change, Air Quality, and Environmental Injustice on Health Outcomes in SLCo Schools” . PI: Tabitha Benney. Co-PI(s): Brett Clark. Global Change and Sustainability Center, 01/31/2022 - 03/31/2023. Total project budget to date: $16,060.00
  • Intermountain West Rural Climate and Air Quality Sensor Network Pilot. PI: Daniel Mendoza. Co-PI(s): Tabitha Benney. College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Mines and Earth Sciences, University of Utah , 12/01/2021 - 03/01/2023. Total project budget to date: $47,000.00
  • Intra-city variability of fine particulate matter following COVID-19: A Case Study of Park City, UT (USA). PI: Tabitha Benney. Co-PI(s): Daniel Mendoza. Faculty Scholarly Grant Program (FSGP), Office of Research, 03/01/2021 - 03/01/2022. Total project budget to date: $9,850.00
  • What We Know (and Need to Know) to Avoid Climate Change Maladaptation. PI: Tabitha Benney. Co-PI(s): Amanda Bertana. Betty Glad Memorial Fund Research Grant, University of Utah , 03/31/2020 - 08/31/2020. Total project budget to date: $14,992.00
  • “Innovations in Comparative Capitalism”. PI: Tabitha Benney. Co-PI(s): John Miklar. Department of Political Science, University of Utah, 09/01/2016 - 03/01/2018. Total project budget to date: $18,000.00
  • Interdisciplinary Research Pilot Program (IRPP) Grant. PI: Tabitha Benney. Co-PI(s): James Curry. 07/2015 - present. Total project budget to date: $3,000.00
  • “Activating Graduate Student Performance through Mentoring”. PI: Tabitha Benney. University of Utah, 07/01/2014 - 06/30/2015. Total project budget to date: $3,500.00

Research/Scholarship Projects

Languages

  • Italian, basic.
  • Norwegian, basic.
  • Spanish, functional.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • Australia
  • Bhutan
  • Brazil
  • China
  • Ecuador
  • India
    Extensive field work conducting research and survey interviews (2011) .
  • Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Nepal
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Peru
    Field experience conducting survey interviews and archival research (2007).
  • South Africa
  • Southern Asia