What We Don’t Talk about When We Talk about Climate Change

• In Event: Poster Session: Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy 2 & Comparative Education Reform
  In Poster Session: Poster Session 2: Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy

Abstract

Climate Change and Climate related policy research has become a pivotal focus in Political Science in the recent decade, owing to the escalating repercussions of climate change and its political ramifications. The focus and approaches of this scholarship have varied over time. This study undertakes a meta-analysis to delineate the research trends in Climate Change and Climate Change Policy related work within Political Science over the past decade, thereby providing a longitudinal perspective on the trends in climate policy research. A qualitative textual analysis is employed to comprehend temporal changes, and a quantitative spatial analysis is used to understand spatial variations. Text analysis software is utilized to scrutinize all journal articles on Climate Change and Climate Related Policy published in the top 30 Political Science journals over the past thirty years roughly coinciding with the emergence of the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Using an in-vivo coding process, all ai-generated codes with a frequency of 10+ quotations are then sorted into 15 pre-selected pivotal themes: climate change and climate science, natural and climate caused disasters, energy and resources, policy type, policy logic, voting preferences and participation, methods, civil society and public engagement, human rights, international and institutional frameworks, political and security frameworks, social factors, indigenous issues, science and technology and political behavior. The aim is to uncover the fluctuations and transformations in the significance of these themes over time and space, thereby understanding the current state of the field, identifying emergent themes, and highlighting potential gaps in mainstream Climate Policy research. This paper will outline the state of the discipline, identify trends in key themes, and assist scholars in positioning themselves within the field.

Authors

• Zoe Sullivan

• BARIS ALAN, TULANE UNIVERSITY