معرفی
Daniel Aldana Cohen is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he serves as Director of the Socio-Spatial Climate Collaborative ((SC)2) and as a faculty affiliate in the graduate program on Political Economy. He is also the Founding Co-Director of the Climate and Community Institute, a progressive climate and economy think tank. His work bridges academic research and policy development, focusing on intersections between climate change, inequality, and urban environments.
Dr. Cohen earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from New York University (2016 and 2014, respectively) and his B.A. from McGill University (2005). His academic journey has positioned him at the forefront of climate justice research, with prestigious appointments including Member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey (2018-19) and CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar (2021-24).
Cohen's research centers on the climate emergency, political economy, eco-apartheid, and inequalities of race and class, with particular focus on urban environments in the United States and Brazil. His work examines how climate change intersects with housing, social movements, and urban political economy. As Director of (SC)2, he leads research projects on Whole Community Climate Mapping, green political economy, and eco-apartheid, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand climate vulnerabilities at neighborhood scales. His scholarship often addresses how climate policies can advance racial and economic justice, particularly through Green New Deal frameworks.
His extensive publication record spans top journals including Nature, Environmental Politics, Public Culture, and Scientific Data, as well as influential public writing in The New York Times, The Guardian, and Jacobin. Cohen's research has informed major policy initiatives, most notably serving as the lead researcher for the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act introduced in Congress by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Sanders.
- CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar (2021-24)
- Member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey (2018-19)
Cohen actively collaborates with social movements and progressive elected officials in the United States and Brazil to develop intersectional climate policies. He co-founded the Superstorm Research Lab in New York City and has led numerous collaborative research projects connecting academic work with policy development. His research has been featured in major media outlets including NPR, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, and Vox, demonstrating the real-world impact of his scholarship.
Through the Socio-Spatial Climate Collaborative ((SC)2) and the Climate and Community Institute, Cohen has built research teams focused on developing climate policies that center frontline communities. His work often involves partnerships with community organizations and government agencies to ensure research directly informs policy implementation. Current projects include developing tools for neighborhood-level climate vulnerability mapping and analyzing the political economy of green infrastructure investments.
