Elizabeth Holzer

Elizabeth Holzer is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Human Rights at the University of Connecticut, affiliated with the Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her work focuses on political engagement in contexts of violence and instability, with a particular emphasis on refugee activism and humanitarian policy. She holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin (2010) and has conducted fieldwork in Ghana and Ethiopia, examining refugee rights, legal frameworks, and international development projects.

Her research projects include an NSF-funded collaboration with Ethiopian institutions exploring water-food-energy nexus challenges, and an ethnographic study of Liberian refugees in Ghana, resulting in her award-winning book The Concerned Women of Buduburam. This book received major accolades from the American Sociological Association for its innovative analysis of humanitarian dilemmas and grassroots activism.

Dr. Holzer’s current work bridges sociology and engineering, addressing interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable development and community-driven solutions in Ethiopia. She has secured over $4.3M in NSF funding for transnational research initiatives. Her research emphasizes participatory methods, legal frameworks in crisis contexts, and the sociopolitical dimensions of international aid.

• Education:
  • PhD in Sociology, University of Wisconsin (2010)
  • M.S. in Sociology, University of Wisconsin (2002)
  • B.A., Wellesley College (2000)
• Awards:
  • 2016 ASA Distinguished Book Awards (Political Sociology, Peace/War, Human Rights Sections)
  • 2014 ASA Outstanding Paper Award
• Grants:
  • National Science Foundation (multiple grants)
  • Charlotte Newcombe Foundation
  • Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
• Lab/Team: Leading an NSF PIRE-funded consortium with Ethiopian Institute for Water Resources and UConn engineers to develop people-centered approaches to resource sustainability in the Blue Nile Basin.