Elizabeth Holzer

Title/Department: Associate Professor of Sociology and Human Rights Director of Graduate Studies

Office: 212 Manchester Hall

Telephone: 860 486-4428

E-mail: elizabeth.holzer@uconn.edu

Website: http://sociology.uconn.edu/holzer/

Research focus: I seek to foster a fuller and more humane understanding of how people engage with politics in situations of violence and instability. My current research focus is to uncover cultural and institutional barriers hindering the uptake of science based solutions to improve livelihood of farming communities in emerging economies.

What excites you most about your PIRE research?

Water and food security issues in Africa will not be addressed using specialized knowledge and technological solutions alone; they require a host of human dimensions as well. I am excited to be part of this interdisciplinary approach in tackling one of the most challenging human security issues facing rural communities in Ethiopia.

What’s the most valuable aspect of your research for the people and communities?

In collaboration with experts drawn from several institutions and a wide range of disciplines, I will help to uncover the political institutional constraints interfering with the uptake of international science and technology development and promote a people-centered approach to the water-food-energy nexus in Ethiopia.