Sociology & geography prof to talk about forestry and political violence in Asia

York sociology and geography Professor Peter Vandergeest will look at forestry and political violence in the jungles of Southeast Asia next week as part of the 2009-2010 Research Seminar Series presented by York’s Science & Technology Studies (STS) Program.

Vandergeest will present “Producing Scientific Forestry Through Political Violence: Jungle-based Insurgencies and Counter-insurgencies in Southeast Asia” Tuesday, Jan. 26, from 12:30 to 2pm in Norman’s, 203A Bethune College, Keele campus.

Left: Peter Vandergeest

He teaches and writes in the areas of political ecology, agro-food studies and the cultural politics of environment and development. Current and recent research encompasses agrarian studies and the history of scientific forestry in Southeast Asia, privatizing environmental regulation in industrial aquaculture and democratization in natural resource management.

In addition, Vandergeest is co-editor of the forthcoming book The Politics of Decentralization: Natural Resource Management in Asia (Mekong Press, 2010) and Development’s Displacements: Ecologies, Economies, and Cultures at Risk (University of British Columbia Press, 2006).

The STS Program is co-housed in the Faculty of Science & Engineering and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Financial support for this series has been provided by the Division of Natural Science, the Office of the Vice-President Academic & Provost and the York University Bookstore.

For more information, visit the Science & Technology Studies Web site or contact the Division of Natural Science at natsci@yorku.ca or ext. 55021.

This series is open to the public and refreshments will be served.