Maria Rodrigues

Maria Rodrigues is a Professor in the Political Science Department at the College of the Holy Cross, with affiliations in Environmental Studies and Urban Studies. She holds a Ph.D. from Boston University and specializes in environmental politics, Latin American politics, and transnational advocacy networks. Her research examines how global environmental issues intersect with local governance and civil society in regions like Amazonia and Brazil. She has held leadership roles including President of the New England Council on Latin American Studies (2017–2018) and Vice President (2016–2017). Rodrigues has authored influential works such as Global Environmentalism and Local Politics (2004) and contributed to journals like Latin American Perspectives and Third World Quarterly.

Her work bridges academic research with practical engagement, including grants writing for the Brazilian Women’s Group and community roles like leading the Friends of the Faneuil Library. Key research themes include transnational advocacy networks' impact on environmental policy and indigenous rights in Brazil. Rodrigues teaches courses like Introduction to Comparative Politics and Latin American Politics, emphasizing critical analysis of socioenvironmental challenges and global governance structures.

Her publications span decades, covering topics from oil industry mobilization in Rio de Janeiro to IBSA bloc diplomacy and Amazonian development conflicts. Rodrigues actively participates in academic networks, presenting at institutions like UC Santa Cruz and the University of São Paulo. Her scholarship consistently links grassroots activism to transnational policy frameworks, offering nuanced insights into environmental justice and democratic governance in Latin America.