My research focuses on how political, economic, and ecological forces influence ecological knowledge inside and around mountainous protected areas. I am interested in how power relations shape perceptions and knowledge of place and whether or not the local decisions of these actors are socially, environmentally, and/or economically sustainable at certain points in time and in different contexts. I also strive to apply research findings to projects created in participatory ways.

Research interests: local ecological knowledge, political economy, sustainability (social, environmental, economic), applied anthropology, indigenous peoples, protected areas, ethics, public enagagement; Nepalese Himalaya, Great Basin, Hawaiian Islands, Kenyan Rift Valley

Approach | Academic | Applied