Research
Overview
With my team, we study how public policy and governance impacts people and ecosystems, especially in settings where forest and farming communities are marginalized from decision-making processes that affect their lives and the environments they call home.
Broad research questions of interest include:
How can global forces (such as demand for chocolate in the Global North, climate finance, or zero deforestation supply chain commitments) be harnessed to improve the lives of cocoa farmers in the Global South?
What enabling conditions are required for forest and land use policy measures to achieve their stated aims to reduce land and forest degradation while increasing environmental justice?
We apply transdisciplinary methods to answer these questions and strive to always work closely with research partners in community, civil society, government, and business to jointly define and answer research questions that meet the needs of those affected by land use decisions and forest governance outcomes. We use a range of research methods and designs, including policy analysis, process tracing, ethnographic field work, case studies, and statistical models.
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