Robyn Eckersley

Robyn Eckersley is the Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor in the Discipline of Political Science within the School of Social and Political Sciences, Faculty of Arts, at the University of Melbourne. She earned her PhD from the University of Tasmania in 1990, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge in 1984, and an LLB from the University of Western Australia in 1980. Eckersley joined the University of Melbourne as Professor of Political Science in 2002, after serving as Senior Lecturer at Monash University from 1992 to 2001. She leads the Melbourne Climate Futures research stream for Politics and Policy.

Eckersley's academic interests center on environmental political theory and international relations, particularly ecological democracy, greening of states and societies, and the ethics, politics, and governance of climate change. Her research also encompasses environmental and climate politics, political theory, democratic theory, and international relations. She directs the project 'Right-wing populism and the political feasibility of climate policy,' funded by the Research Council of Norway (2021-2025). Among her influential publications are Environmentalism and Political Theory: Toward an Ecocentric Approach (1992), The Green State: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty (2004), 'Moving Forward in the Climate Negotiations: Multilateralism or Minilateralism?' (2012), Special Responsibilities: Global Problems and American Power (2012, co-authored), The State and the Global Ecological Crisis (2005, co-edited), and 'Greening States and Societies: From Transitions to Great Transformations' (2020). These works have received thousands of citations and shaped discourse in green political theory and climate governance.

Eckersley was elected Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in 2007 and awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award by the Environmental Studies Section of the International Studies Association in 2019. Her contributions have had significant impact on environmental politics scholarship worldwide.

Professional Email: r.eckersley@unimelb.edu.au