She studies environmental sociology, politics, and war from a global perspective. Her research examines the historical emergence of the global environmental regime and its impact on national policy and environmental practices around the world. Her work on environmentalism has appeared in the American Sociological Review, International Organization, and Social Forces. She is also a member of the American Sociological Association Task Force on Climate Change. Hironaka's first book, Neverending Wars (2005), examines the intractable civil wars of the contemporary era and the role of the international community in perpetuating these conflicts.