Stacy D. VanDeveer

Professor & Grad Program Director
UMass Boston
United States

Feb 12, 2025

Stacy D. VanDeveer is a Professor of Global Governance and Human Security at the John C. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. During the 2023-2024 academic year, he served as the Zennström Visiting Professor of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University in Sweden. In recent years, he has held significant leadership roles, including Director of the Global Governance and Human Security PhD Program and Chair of the Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance at UMass Boston.

Previously, Stacy was a Political Science Professor at the University of New Hampshire and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Stacy earned his PhD in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, where he also completed his master’s degree. Initially aspiring to work in international relations at a Washington-based organization, Stacy found himself drawn to academia, inspired by the dynamic environment of graduate school and the mentorship he received. His doctoral research focused on environmental policy norms, examining how individuals with scientific and technical training collaborated and how international environmental agreements influenced regional policies. His dissertation explored the impacts of policy norms, ideas, and declarations on domestic-level environmental policies in post-communist states in the Baltic and Mediterranean regions.

During his graduate studies in the 1990s, Stacy developed a strong interest in the connections between environmental issues, cooperation, and their implications for peace and security. At the time, the Environmental Change and Security Project at the Woodrow Wilson Center was newly established, and there was growing activity in the U.S. government around these topics. Over the past 25 years, Stacy’s research has centered on the intersection of comparative environmental politics and global and transnational governance. His work spans various levels -- from subnational and national to global --  and addresses issues such as environmental peacemaking, security, and policymaking. He co-edited the Oxford Handbook of Comparative Environmental Politics with Jeannie Sowers and Erika Weinthal, a comprehensive collection in the field. Stacy has also engaged in policy-relevant research with organizations like the EU, SIPRI, PRIO and the OSCE focusing on climate and security as well as environmental peacebuilding. His projects often involve collaboration with colleagues from diverse disciplines and regions, integrating various social science perspectives. For Stacy, these partnerships are not only productive but also enjoyable, allowing for the synthesis of different expertise into cohesive research endeavors.

Stacy frequently mentors young scholars and early career researchers, about the challenges of an academic career. One of the most significant hurdles is dealing with rejection. Submitting papers for peer review, applying for grants, or seeking conference opportunities often results in setbacks. He emphasizes the importance of resilience and perseverance, encouraging junior scholars to acknowledge rejection as a normal part of the process. He highlights that even senior scholars experience rejection frequently and discussing these experiences openly can help normalize them for early-career researchers. Stacy also points out the challenges of conducting international or global-scale research, especially when far from one’s home institution. Securing funding requires relentless effort, but collaborative research can alleviate some of this burden. By working in teams of five or six researchers, diverse perspectives can be incorporated and the workload shared. Co-authoring and developing collaborative projects are valuable skills that enhance the research process, making it possible to produce impactful work and occasionally secure grant funding despite the prevalence of rejections.

Stacy also advises young scholars to diversify their writing skills by exploring various formats, including professional blogs, policy briefs, commentaries, policy recommendations, and academic articles. Developing these skills not only enhances career options but also provides valuable tools for success in different sectors, including academia, policy institutions, and NGOs. Collaborating with international teams, he adds, is another critical aspect of professional growth, offering opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives and expand one’s network. For Stacy, the most rewarding moments of his career have been working with PhD students and teaching undergraduates. He also finds satisfaction in witnessing the evolution of scholarship in comparative and global environmental politics and governance. Over the past 11 to 15 years, the field has become increasingly global in scope, with broader case studies and more international collaboration. While he acknowledges that there is still much work to be done—particularly in addressing equity and justice—he is encouraged by noticeable improvements and the growing diversity of teams contributing to this field. For him, the excitement lies in being part of an evolving, global academic community that is expanding its reach and impact.

Stacy explains that environmental peacebuilding entails ensuring that environmental values, challenges, and issues are not marginalized but rather integrated into the core of economic development, governance, and peacebuilding efforts. He views environmental resources, climate issues, and environmental justice as central to fostering local economic and social justice, as well as to building cooperative frameworks for peace. By centering environmental governance and equity in these processes, he believes sustainable and inclusive progress can be achieved. His motivation to join the Environmental Peacebuilding Association (EnPAx) stemmed from an invitation by Erika Weinthal during its founding. Stacy recognized the need for an organization that could foster an intellectual community while expanding its reach and impact. EnPAx, in his view, has been instrumental in connecting researchers at different career stages and from various disciplines, offering a platform to grow and sustain this dynamic field. Looking ahead, he sees significant potential in EnPAx’s role. The Association’s programming during and between conferences is crucial to maintaining engagement, fostering cross-border and interdisciplinary collaborations, and ensuring the organization remains vibrant and relevant in addressing pressing global challenges.