Bergquist

Parrish Bergquist

Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania

Connect with Parrish

About Parrish

Bergquist's research focuses on the political determinants of environmental policy—in the US and abroad—with a particular focus on public will and political behavior. Overarching themes in Bergquist's writings include explaining the development of attitudes and policy views about climate change and the environment, examining how public environmental concern is activated in the political system, and explaining the drivers and consequences of state-level climate policies in the polarized US political context.

Contributions

In the News

Quoted by Kate Yoder in "The Summer That Reality Caught Up to Climate Fiction," Grist, September 22, 2023.
Opinion: "Americans Want Green Spending in Federal Coronavirus Recession Relief Packages," Parrish Bergquist (with Matto Mildenberger and Leah C. Stokes), Equitable Growth, July 7, 2020.
Opinion: "Protestors Want Justice--Including on Social, Economic, and Climate Demands," Parrish Bergquist (with Matto Mildenberger and Leah C. Stokes), The Washington Post, June 12, 2020.

Publications

"Breaking Down or Charging Up? Developing a Theory of Place-Based Policy Embedding in Response to Clean-Energy Manufacturing Investments" (with Parrish Bergquist), Forthcoming.

Explores how big clean-energy manufacturing projects (like battery or EV plants) affect local communities—and whether they actually become integrated into local economies. Develops a framework for understanding when these investments lead to lasting local benefits versus when they remain isolated and fail to deliver broader economic gains.

"Degrees of Change: Americans' Shifting Views on Global Warming" (with Robert Griffin), Democracy Fund Voter Study Group, April 2020.

Tracks how Americans’ views on global warming have evolved over time, highlighting growing concern and shifting attitudes across political and demographic groups. Shows how public opinion is changing—and where divisions still remain.

"Survey Sampling in the Global South Using Facebook Advertisements" (with Matto Mildenberger, Leah R. Rosenzweig, Katherine Hoffmann Pham, and Francesco Rampazzo). Political Science Research and Methods 13, no. 4 (2025): 781-797.

Shows how researchers can use Facebook ads to run surveys in countries where traditional polling is difficult or expensive. Evaluates how accurate and representative this method is, helping expand who can be included in public opinion research globally.

"How Climate Policy Commitments Influence Energy Systems and the Economies of US States" (with Christopher Warshaw). Nature Communications 14, no. 1 (2023): 4850.

Finds that when U.S. states commit to climate policies, those commitments lead to real changes—like cleaner energy systems and measurable economic effects. Provides evidence that climate policy isn’t just symbolic; it reshapes both energy production and state economies.

"Combining Climate, Economic, and Social Policy Builds Public Support for Climate Action in the US" (with Parrish Bergquist and Matto Mildenberger). Environmental Research Letters 15, no. 5 (2020): 054019.

Shows that people are more supportive of climate policies when they’re paired with economic and social benefits (like jobs or equity measures). In other words, bundling climate action with broader benefits makes it more politically popular.

"Does Global Warming Increase Public Concern About Climate Change?" (with Christopher Warshaw). The Journal of Politics 81, no. 2 (2019): 686–691.

Examines whether experiencing hotter temperatures actually makes people more concerned about climate change. Finds that real-world weather changes can increase public concern, linking lived experience to climate attitudes.