Assistant Professor, European Politics and Political Economy
Welcome! I am an Assistant Professor of European Politics and Political Economy at Leiden University's Institute of Political Science. My main research interests are climate and environmental polics, (international) political economy, interest group lobbying and European politics, broadly defined.
My book, which is forthcoming with Cambridge University Press, examines how the emergence of corporate social responsibility influences the democratic governance of capitalism. Specifically, I explore how firms adjust their climate lobbying when they face pressure from consumers and investors. To do so, I draw on a variety of methodological tools, including data analysis, survey experiments, and qualitative case studies. My Ph.D. dissertation, which the book builds on, won the 2024 Virgina M. Walsh Dissertation Award for the best dissertation in the field of Science, Technology and Environmental Politics from the APSA STEP Section. I have also published in Comparative Political Studies, Business and Politics, Environmental Politics, the European Journal of Political Research, and Comparative European Politics.
My research has been supported by the Climate Social Sciences Network, the Leiden University Fund, and the Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship, among others. I am a member of the Climate Social Science Network, and serve as an expert advisors for NGO The Good Lobby's "REBASE" initiative on business associations.
Prior to coming to Leiden, I received a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University. I also hold an MA in International Affairs and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University. After my BA, I spent a year studying Japanese in Fukuoka, Japan.
When I am not researching or teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family, taking dance classes and long walks with my Corgi.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know more about my work.
Email: c.l.toenshoff[at]fsw[dot]leidenuniv[dot]nl
Office: Institute of Political Science Leiden University Spui Building Spui 5 2511 BL The Hague Room number A3.86