Emily Benton Hite, PhD

I am a cultural anthropologist focused on understanding human-water relationships. My interests center on studying hydrosocial territories—the hybrid coproduction of human and water relations.

Research includes:

• Collaborative event ethnography of climate governance

• Participant observation at UNFCCC/COP events

• Investigating the intersection of Indigenous rights and hydropower development in Costa Rica and the US

• Interdisciplinary research w/partners in the US and South Pacific on global ocean governance

You can find out more about me and my research on Twitter and Linkedin.

Excited to announce that I’ll be joining the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Saint Louis University Fall 2023 as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Anthropology.

Recent Publications

Hite, Emily B., Addis, Bea, and Herannen-Tabibi. 2024. Ethnographic Insights into Climate Worlds. Engagements Blog of the Anthropology and Environment Society, American Anthropological Association.

Hite, Emily B. 2024. Leaders, Victims, and Fugitives at COP 28. Engagements Blog of the Anthropology and Environment Society, American Anthropological Association.

Hite, Emily B. and Perry, Denielle. 2024. Native American voices are finally factoring into energy projects – a hydropower ruling is a victory for environmental justice on tribal lands. The Conversation

Hite, Emily B, Perry, Denielle, and Fauser, Christian. 2024. “FERC, hydropower, and tribal rights: Confrontations at the Little Colorado River.” Journal of Political Ecology 31(1). https://doi.org/10.2458/jpe.2930

Hite, Emily B. 2022. “The many-headed Hydra: Assessing the Indigenous-hydropower cycle in Costa Rica.” Journal of Political Ecology 29(1):656-671 https://doi.org/10.2458/jpe.2998

Hite, Emily B. 2022. "Methane Pledges and the Future of Hydropower." Hot Spots,Fieldsights, June 23. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/methane-pledges-and-the-future-of-hydropower

Hite, Emily B., Garvin, J., Slayback, D., Burke, E., Callahan, G., Joyce, P., and Whittaker, K. 2020. “Exploring the Human-Nature Dynamics of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha‘apai, Earth’s Newest Landmass.” Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 401. p 106902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2020.106902

Hite, Emily B. 2020. “Ecotourism-as-Conservation: Investigating the decline of leatherback sea turtles in Playa Grande, Costa Rica.” In The Ecolaboratory: Environmental Governance and Economic Development in Costa Rica, edited by Robert Fletcher, Brian Dowd-Uribe, and Guntra Aistara. Ch13:205-218. University of Arizona Press.