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. I am an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Saint Louis University.

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 X and Linkedin.

Recent Publications

Hite, Emily B., *Posner, S., and Jacka, J. 2025. “Violent environments and the low-carbon energy transition: Cautionary tales from Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea.” Political Geography, 122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2025.103389

Hite, Emily B. 2025. “Making Sense of Unsustainable Realities: Hydropower and the Sustainable Development Goals.” Water, 17(13), 1857. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17131857