Q&A: Allison Grossman on disaster response, climate resilience and the Sciences Po-Université Paris Cité Fellowship

Allison Grossman, assistant professor of political science in the School of Liberal Arts, has been awarded a Sciences Po-Université Paris Cité Fellowship, which supports U.S. scholars pursuing research in Paris. During the semester-long fellowship, Grossman will connect with fellow scholars and policy leaders in Europe while continuing her research on how communities and governments respond to disasters and changing climates. In this Q&A, Grossman discusses what the fellowship means to her, the research she plans to pursue in Paris and West Africa and how the experience will shape her future work on disaster response and climate resilience. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What does receiving this fellowship mean to you?

Grossman: The fellowship gives me dedicated time to advance my research on the international dynamics of disaster response while building relationships with scholars and policymakers in Europe. It is an opportunity to strengthen my research agenda and collaborate with others working on similar global challenges.

What research do you plan to focus on during your time in Paris?

Grossman: During the fellowship, I plan to focus on projects examining how communities and governments respond to recurring natural hazards that are becoming more frequent and severe because of climate change. One project analyzes policy and community responses to repeated flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods in Monrovia, Liberia. Another evaluates an intervention designed to help young men in Niger make their migration journeys more productive.

Your work examines how people respond to disasters. What drew you to that field of study?

Grossman: My interest began with humanitarian aid, the foreign assistance countries provide to save lives and reduce suffering during disasters and conflict. As I studied the field, I realized humanitarian aid is part of much broader political dynamics. My early research explored a central question: Why do leaders facing disasters fail to request or even refuse humanitarian aid? That question became the foundation of my book manuscript.

What do you hope to learn through your continued work in West Africa?

Grossman: Through my work in West Africa, I hope to better understand how communities and policymakers respond to recurring natural hazards and how those responses can inform more effective disaster policy. I also want to evaluate interventions that improve opportunities for vulnerable populations facing climate-related and economic challenges.

How might this fellowship shape your future research agenda?

Grossman: The fellowship will allow me to deepen my research on disaster response and climate resilience while expanding collaborations with scholars and policymakers in Europe. Those relationships and the dedicated research time will help shape future projects on the international politics of disaster response and community resilience.