Ben Pauli

Associate Professor of Political Science

Ben Pauli holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University (2014), with concentrations in political theory, American politics, and religion and politics. His doctoral research explored the intersection of political ideologies and social movements, particularly the theory and history of British and American anarchism. Since moving to Flint in 2015, Dr. Pauli has been extensively involved in the response to the Flint water crisis as a resident, activist, and researcher. He is the author of Flint Fights Back: Environmental Justice and Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis (MIT Press 2019), which examines the role of local water activists in exposing and responding to the crisis. He is the president of the board of the Environmental Transformation Movement of Flint, a local environmental justice group, and acting chair of the Flint Water System Advisory Council. He has also served as a representative of the academic community on the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and as a member of two working groups under the National Drinking Water Advisory Council. Dr. Pauli's water-related research and advocacy interests include issues of water and trust, water governance, environmental justice, and principles of engagement and collaboration in community-based research.

 Dr. Pauli teaches the following courses:

• Introduction to Political Thought
• The Flint Water Crisis
• Environmental Governance
• Science and Democracy
• Music in Politics, Society, and Culture