Sam Bither is a Fulbright Study/Research Grantee at the Universidade dos Açores in São Miguel, Portugal.
He previously read for an MPhil in International Relations as a member of Kellogg College, which he completed in June 2024. Originally from New York City, Sam received his B.A in International Relations from Pomona College, where he studied Middle Eastern affairs and environmental politics. His thesis explored the renewed effort to fund and construct large-scale hydroelectric dams in developing countries despite structural flaws and environmental risks. After graduation, he worked in Washington, D.C as a member of the Albright Stonebridge Group's Middle East and North Africa (MENA) practice.
At Oxford, his research focuses on the institutional choice of small states in global climate governance. He is particularly interested in climate contestation processes and mechanisms, and the ongoing effort to extend global climate governance into other realms of global politics outside of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Research Interests
- Global Environmental Governance
- Small States in International Relations
- International Cooperation and Institutions
- Maritime Security
- Ocean Governance
- Sub-national Autonomous Regions and Substate Diplomacy
