Joshua C. Gellers
Joshua C. Gellers, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Florida and a Fulbright Scholar to Sri Lanka. His research focuses on the origins and impacts of environmental law and policy. Josh has published work in International Environmental Agreements, Journal of Human Rights and the Environment, Review of Policy Research, and Transnational Environmental Law.
Biography
Joshua C. Gellers, PhD, LEED Green Associate, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Florida, Research Fellow of the Earth System Governance Project, and Honorary Fellow of the Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies. He is also a 2016-17 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Sri Lanka. In 2015, Josh was a Visiting Scholar-in-Residence in Global Environmental Constitutionalism at Widener University Delaware Law School. His current research examines the environmental impacts of foreign investment. Josh's work has appeared in Critical Discourse Studies, International Environmental Agreements, Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation, Journal of Human Rights and the Environment, Review of Policy Research, Sustainability Science, and Transnational Environmental Law. He has served as a researcher for the Global Roundtable on Climate Change, Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, and Earth Institute at Columbia University, and consulted for Sierra Club Green Home and UNDP. Josh runs Enviro Rights Map (http://www.envirorightsmap.org), a free, Google maps-based website that catalogs constitutional environmental rights throughout the world.Education
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PhD, Political Science, UC Irvine (2014)
MA, Climate & Society, Columbia University (2007)
BA, Political Science, University of Florida (2005)
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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environmental rights, international relations, comparative public law, sustainability, environmental justice
Personal Interests
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running, cooking, independent films, photography
Websites
Books
Articles
The great indoors: linking human rights and the built environment
Published: Sep 01, 2016 by Journal of Human Rights and the Environment
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
Subjects:
Built Environment, Environment and Sustainability
I argue that, in conjunction with international human rights regarding housing, health, and water and sanitation, environmental rights should apply to the built environment as well. Through an analysis of international law, case law and scientific evidence, I demonstrate that protecting indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is necessary to the full realization of health, housing, water and sanitation, and environmental rights.
Crowdsourcing global governance
Published: Apr 21, 2016 by International Environmental Agreements
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
In this paper, I evaluate crowdsourcing as a tool for participatory design of the Sustainable Development Goals. The results suggest that although crowdsourcing may present an attractive technological approach to expand participation in global governance, ultimately the representativeness of that participation and the legitimacy of policy outputs depend on the manner in which contributions are solicited and filtered by international institutions.
Environmental constitutionalism in South Asia
Published: May 06, 2015 by Transnational Environmental Law
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
Subjects:
Asian Studies
Why do some countries adopt constitutional environmental rights while others do not? I find that the presence of a constitutional environmental right in Nepal and the absence of such a right in Sri Lanka can be best explained directly with reference to domestic political conditions and structures, and indirectly in terms of the international normative environment in which the constitution was written.
Greening critical discourse analysis
Published: Mar 16, 2015 by Critical Discourse Studies
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
Subjects:
Environment and Sustainability
While scholars have expended great effort analyzing environmental discourse and applying a critical lens to environmental law, scant work has used critical discourse analysis (CDA) to study environmental law. The present article seeks to correct for this oversight by highlighting the particularities of environmental law which compel the use of CDA, and outlining a method by which social science researchers can use CDA to understand the role of power in the domain of environmental law.
Explaining the emergence of constitutional environmental rights
Published: Mar 01, 2015 by Journal of Human Rights and the Environment
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
Subjects:
Environment and Sustainability
In this quantitative analysis, I find that the adoption of constitutional environmental rights is significantly associated with international civil society influence, human rights legacy, and level of democracy, and best explained by theories of domestic politics and norm socialization. This research suggests that the emergence of constitutional environmental rights signals a major shift in the international normative arena.
Greening constitutions with environmental rights
Published: Jul 03, 2012 by Review of Policy Research
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
Subjects:
Environment and Sustainability
Why do some countries have constitutional environmental rights while others do not? In this paper, I conduct statistical analyses to respond to this inquiry. I find that the enactment of constitutional environmental rights within a region does not increase the likelihood that another state within the same region will include environmental rights within its constitution.
Righting environmental wrongs
Published: Feb 26, 2011 by Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation
Authors: Joshua C. Gellers
Subjects:
Environment and Sustainability
How can social scientists best explain why courts of last resort have relaxed standing requirements in environmental litigation? In this article, I compare the development of environmental rights and locus standi in the United States, India, and Japan. I conclude by offering that the norm of increased judicial access in environmental litigation is likely to continue to expand due to the growing internationalization of environmental issues.