Summer Marion

  • Assistant Professor Global Studies, Global Studies
  • MALD Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
  • Ph.D. Northeastern University
  • B.A. The College of William & Mary

Teaching Interests

International Relations, Public Policy, Research Methods, Global Governance, Global Health, Philanthropy and Civil Society

Research Interests

Global Governance, International Cooperation and Organization, Global Health Politics, Philanthropy and Civil Society

Bio

Summer Marion is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Studies. Her research focuses on global governance, global health politics, transnational actors, and philanthropy. Her scholarship and commentary have appeared in outlets including International Studies ReviewBMJ Global HealthGlobal Health Governance, the Washington Post, and CNN International. She contributes to the Pandemics & Borders Project examining causes and implications of cross-borders measures implemented during COVID-19. Previously, she was an editor at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, held research positions in public policy and public health, and managed curriculum development for online courses at Harvard University.

Professional Memberships

  • American Political Science Association 2016-01-01 - Present
  • International Studies Association 2016-01-01 - Present
  • Awards and Honors

  • Research Fellow, Pandemics and Borders Project
  • Research Fellow, University of Maryland School of Public Policy
  • COVID-19 Quick Response Research Grant, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
  • COVID-19 Research and Engagement Development Initiative Grant, Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • COVID-19 Working Group Research Grant, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
  • Experiential Fellowship, Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • New Era Foreign Policy Workshop, Bridging the Gap Project
  • Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Northeastern University Academic Honors Convocation
  • Research Associate, Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM)
  • Research Fellow, Pandemics and Borders Project
  • Research Fellow, University of Maryland School of Public Policy
  • Selected Author, "The Social and Political Impact of COVID-19 in the United States” Development Grant and Conference, Russell Sage Foundation
  • Visiting Researcher, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Global Health and Population
  • Dean’s Graduate Fellowship, Northeastern University Humanities Center, College of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Graduate Dissertation Research Grant, Office of the Provost, Northeastern University
  • Graduate Student Research Award, Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, Northeastern University
  • High Distinction, Doctoral Comprehensive Examinations, Northeastern University
  • Scholarly Contributions and Creative Productions

    Journal Articles


  • Badruzzaman, A., Kushi, S., Marion, S. (2023). Issue Framing Within the Climate Debate: An Analysis of US Environmental Policy Outcomes. International Social Science Journal, (73) 247 173-194. (Link)
  • Worsnop, C. Z., Grépin, K., Lee, K., Marion, S. (2023). The Unintended Consequences of Information Provision: The World Health Organization and border restrictions during COVID-19. International Studies Perspectives, (24) 1 39-66. (Link)
  • Page-Tan, C., Marion, S., Aldrich, D. P. (2022). Information Trust Falls: The Role of Social Networks and Information During the Covid-19 Pandemic Among Suburbanites. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, (8) 8 32-51. (Link)
  • Marion, S. (2021). Beyond Great Power Politics: Conceptualizing Philanthropy’s Return to International Relations Through COVID-19 in: Forum: Covid-19 and IR Scholarship: One Profession, Many Voices”. International Studies Review no. viab004 (Link)
  • Grépin, K., Ho, T., Liu, Z., Marion, S., Piper, J., Worsnop, C. Z., Lee, K. (2021). Evidence of the effectiveness of travel-related measures during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid systematic review. BMJ Global Health, (6) 3 (Link)
  • Worsnop, C. Z., Kamradt-Scott, A., Lee, K., Grépin, K., Marion, S., Piper, J., Rothery, F. (2021). Legal compliance is not enough: cross- border travel and trade measures and COVID-19. in: Forum: Covid-19 and IR Scholarship: One Profession, Many Voices. International Studies Review no. viab004 (Link)
  • Lee, K., Grépin, K., Worsnop, C. Z., Marion, S., Piper, J., Song, M. (2021). Managing borders during public health emergencies of international concern: A proposed typology of cross-border measures. Globalization and Health, (17) 1 (Link)
  • Marion, S. (2020). Compartmentalized Crises? Understanding Relationships between Climate Change Discourse and Health Governance. Global Health Governance, (10) 1 52-68. (Link)
  • Book Chapters


  • Worsnop, C. Z., Marion, S. Foreign Policy Analysis and Global Health Oxford Handbook of Foreign Policy Analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Digital and Electronic Media, Social Media, Blogs, Podcasts


  • Marion, S. 2024. "Active Learning in Political Science"
  • Marion, S. 2023. "The Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars"
  • Marion, S. 2020. "Withdrawing from the WHO would hurt global security – and global respect for the U.S."
  • Marion, S. 2020. "Duck of Minerva"
  • Marion, S. 2020. "CNN International"
  • Other Scholarly Work


  • Marion, S. (2021). Researchers’ Roundtable; COVIDCalls Podcast #309. CovidCalls Podcast hosted by Scott Gabriel Knowles .
  • Marion, S. (2020). Expert Interview. CNN International (Link).
  • Marion, S. (2020). The World Health Organization and Pandemics. What's New Podcast hosted by Dan Cohen .
  • Marion, S. (2020). What Money Can (and Can’t) Buy for the Global Coronavirus Response. Duck of Minerva (Link).
  • Marion, S.COVAX and the Persistence of Epistemic Divergence in Global Outbreak Response. Forthcoming.
  • Marion, S.Do Boomerangs Always Come Back? How Large Independent Foundations Influence Domestic Policy Through Global Public-Private Partnerships. ProQuest Forthcoming.
  • Marion, S.Lobbying is a dirty word’: Global Outbreaks and the Dynamics of Philanthropic Policy Influence. ProQuest Forthcoming.
  • Marion, S.What Money Can’t Buy: Philanthropy and Policy Influence in Global Outbreaks. ProQuest Forthcoming.
  • Worsnop, C. Z. The Domestic Politics of U.S. International Travel Restrictions During COVID-19. Forthcoming.
  • Presentations


  • Marion, S. (2024). “Comparative Health Policy (Poster Session Chair)” Presented at the American Political Science Association American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA
  • Marion, S. (2025). “IOs and International Order (Panel Chair)” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA
  • Marion, S. (2025). “Navigating the Nexus: Governance, Tech, & Infrastructure in Crisis Management (Panel Chair)” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA
  • Marion, S. (2025). “Navigating the Nexus: Governance, Tech, & Infrastructure in Crisis Management (Panel Discussant)” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA
  • Marion, S. (2024). “COVAX and the Persistence of Epistemic Divergence in Global Outbreak Response” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Philadelphia, AP
  • Marion, S. (2023). “Do Boomerangs Always Come Back? Philanthropy, PPPs, & Policy in Global Outbreaks” Presented at the American Political Science Association American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Los Angeles, CA
  • Marion, S. (2023). “Panel Discussant: Improving Decision-Making Through Science and Information” Presented at the American Political Science Association American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Los Angeles, CA
  • Marion, S., DeLeo, R. (2023). “Panel Discussant: The Politics of Disaster Policymaking: COVID-19, Climate Change, and Beyond” Presented at the American Political Science Association American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Los Angeles, CA
  • Marion, S. (2023). “Do Boomerangs Always Come Back? How Large Independent Foundations Influence Domestic Policy Through Global Public-Private Partnerships” Presented at the International Studies Association International Studies Association Annual Convention Montr√©al, Quebec
  • Marion, S. (2023). “Panel Discussant: The Politics of Universal Health Coverage: Promises, Pitfalls, and Performance” Presented at the International Studies Association International Studies Association Annual Convention Montr√©al, Quebec
  • Marion, S. (2023). “Roundtable Participant: Public-private partnership in pandemic response” Presented at the International Studies Association International Studies Association Annual Convention Montr√©al, Quebec
  • Marion, S. (2023). “What Money Can‚Äôt Buy: Philanthropy and Policy Influence in Global Outbreaks” Presented at the International Studies Association International Studies Association Annual Convention Montr√©al, Quebec
  • Marion, S. (2021). “Panel Discussant: Repression to Regulation: The State and Civil Society Around the Globe” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Seattle, WA (virtual due to COVID-19)
  • Marion, S. (2021). “Domestic Politics of US International Travel Restrictions During COVID-19 (with Catherine Z. Worsnop)” Presented at the International Studies Association Annual Convention Las Vegas, NV (virtual due to COVID-19)
  • Marion, S. (2021). “Governance in Crisis? The Changing Role of Private Foundations in Global Health Emergencies” Presented at the International Studies Association Annual Convention Las Vegas, NV (virtual due to COVID-19)
  • Marion, S. (2021). “Panel Chair: Globalization, Global Health, and Human In-Security in the Time of COVID-19” Presented at the International Studies Association Annual Convention Las Vegas, NV (virtual due to COVID-19)
  • Marion, S. (2021). “What Money Can‚Äôt Buy: Philanthropy and Policy Influence in Global Outbreaks” Presented at the International Studies Association Annual Convention Las Vegas, NV (virtual due to COVID-19)
  • Marion, S. (2020). “Lobbying is a dirty word,‚Äô Advocacy is Not: Philanthropy and Policy Entrepreneurship in Global Health Emergencies” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA (virtual due to COVID-19)
  • Marion, S. (2019). “What Drives Donors? The Power of Issue Framing and Philanthropic Giving in Global Health” Presented at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Conference Boston, MA
  • Marion, S. (2019). “Co-opting the Climate? The Power of Issue Framing and Environmental Policy (with A. Badruzzaman and S. Kushi)” Presented at the Western Political Science Association Annual Conference San Diego, CA
  • Marion, S. (2017). “Purchasing Power? Global Health Crises, Non-State Funding, and WHO Reform” Presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA
  • Reviews


  • Marion, S., Snyder, M. R. (2017). Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why? By Chelsea Clinton and Devi Sridhar, Oxford University Press 2017. (Link)
  • Service

    Service: Department


  • Course Coordinator for GLS 116 - Present
  • Committee Member for Student Engagement Committee 9/1/22 - Present
  • Moderator for GLS Career Panel 4/5/23 - 4/5/23
  • Service: Professional


  • Committee Chair for International Studies Association Global Health Governance Graduate Student Paper Award - Present
  • Committee Member for International Studies Association Global Health Studies Section Global South Travel Grant - Present
  • Committee Chair for Disasters and Crises Related Group, American Political Science Association (Co-chair) - Present
  • Committee Member for International Studies Association Global Health Studies Section Book Award Committee 9/1/23 - 4/30/24
  • Committee Member for International Studies Association Global Health Studies Executive Committee 3/1/23 - Present
  • Editor (Associate), Journal for Global Health Governance 1/1/21 - Present
  • Service: University


  • Mentor (Faculty) for Bentley Model United Nations Club - Present
  • Guest Speaker for “2024 Election,” Panel organized by the Bentley University Valente Center for Arts and Sciences. - Present
  • Co-Lead for Bentley Faculty Mentorship Program 9/1/23 - Present
  • Mentor (Faculty) for Eastern European Students Association 9/1/23 - Present
  • Guest Speaker for Health Economics at the Chicago Fed: A look at big pharma, nursing home competition, and ADHD drug shortages, Bentley Center for Health and Business Fireside Chat 2/16/24 - 2/16/24
  • Guest Speaker for International Film Series 10/25/23 - 10/25/23
  • Committee Member for Bentley Learning and Teaching Council 7/1/23 - Present
  • Guest Speaker for COVID Insights: Rebuilding Trust, Bolstering Institutions, and Communication in the Wake of Disaster, Bentley Health Thought Leadership Network 4/4/23 - 4/4/23
  • Guest Speaker for Bentley University Middle School Model UN Conference 3/1/23 - 3/31/23
  • Guest Speaker for Power of People: A Civic Engagement Panel, Bentley Office of Sustainability 3/28/23 - 3/28/23