Patricia Widener

Dr. Patricia Widener is a Professor of Sociology at Florida Atlantic University, specializing in the intersection of environmental issues and social dynamics. Her research explores the political economy of petroleum, climate and environmental justice, transnational activism, and marine sociology.

Dr. Widener teaches courses including Environmental Sociology, Social Movements, and Sociology of Climate and Disaster. Her current projects include analyzing Southeast Florida protests against national policies and initiating a marine justice study focusing on coastal and island communities.

Her publications span topics such as hydraulic fracturing resistance, offshore oil exploration disputes, and climate justice discourse. Recent work examines visual sociology’s role in environmental advocacy and the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Dr. Widener's research methodology combines ethnography, discourse analysis, and photovoice techniques. She has contributed to journals like Environmental Sociology and Local Environment, with a focus on marginalized communities’ interactions with extractive industries.