About
Théodore Tallent is a PhD student and lecturer at Sciences Po's Center for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE), specializing in ecological transition, comparative politics, and political geography. He also serves as a Research Associate at the Hertie School in Berlin and is an affiliated researcher at the Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (C-EENRG). His work focuses on understanding rural opposition to climate policies across Europe.
- PhD student at CEE since September 2022
- Teaches political science and climate governance courses
- Visiting researcher at LSE (2024) and Oxford/Nuffield College (2025)
- Regular media commentator on ecological transition issues
Théodore Tallent holds degrees from Sciences Po (Undergraduate College and School of Public Affairs with Master's in European Affairs), New York University (one year), and University of Cambridge (MPhil in Environmental Policy). His academic journey reflects his interdisciplinary approach to understanding the political dimensions of environmental challenges.
His research examines opposition to ecological transition outside major metropolitan areas, with particular focus on citizens' perceptions of climate policies in rural regions. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, including extensive field interviews, his work aims to understand the obstacles to climate policy acceptability and contribute to discussions around 'just transition' in Europe. His scholarship explores how place shapes political attitudes toward environmental policies, revealing significant geographical divides in climate policy support across Europe.
His publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of political geography and environmental policy, with particular attention to rural-urban divides in climate policy attitudes. His work demonstrates how spatial context influences political resistance to ecological transition, challenging simplistic narratives about public opposition to climate policies. His research combines empirical analysis of public opinion data with deep qualitative insights from fieldwork in rural communities across Europe.
As an active academic, Tallent regularly collaborates with stakeholders including think tanks, NGOs, and public decision-makers at national and European levels. He has co-organized international PhD workshops and presented his research at major conferences including EPSA, APSA, and ECPR events. His media presence includes frequent interviews in outlets like Le Monde, France Culture, and France 24, where he discusses ecological transition challenges and opportunities.
His teaching portfolio includes courses on International Climate Governance at Sciences Po, Sustainability and Spatial Planning at Columbia University in Paris, and Comparative Politics at Sciences Po's Reims Campus. These teaching activities demonstrate his commitment to training the next generation of scholars and practitioners in environmental governance and political analysis.
