A new paper is out, about the crucial role of critical social science in conservation. This initiative was led by Kate Massarella, who did a truly great job weaving together so many opinions and ideas in one paper for a great journal (Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability), and foregrounding the CON-VIVA project! The highlights and…Read more New paper! Transformation beyond conservation: How critical social science can contribute to a radical new agenda in biodiversity conservation

Happy to announce my latest paper in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. The process was led by Chantal Wieckardt of LANDac and co-authored by Nadya Karimasari and myself. This time it's not about (southern) Africa, but Indonesia. I expect some more work on Indonesia coming out in the next few years. Here is the abstract:…Read more New paper: Environmentality, green grabbing and neoliberal conservation: The ambiguous role of ecotourism in the Green Life privatised nature reserve, Sumatra, Indonesia

In this paper I provide a historical overview of the various relations of paternalism in which the different Bushmen groups of Southern Africa have been involved in, as a (part) explanation of their contemporary and perpetuating 'inferior' positions in development, tourism and beyond. The abstract: In southern Africa, the indigenous Bushmen (San) have for long…Read more New paper: Articulations of inferiority: From pre-colonial to post-colonial paternalism in tourism and development among the indigenous Bushmen of Southern Africa

A short new paper can be found under Publications, in which the relation between conservation and COVID-19 is addressed and ways forward presented to alter nature conservation financing schemes. The article can also be found open access here: https://www.ppesydney.net/issue-85-winter-2020/ Thanks to my colleagues Kate Massarella and Bram Büscher for co-authoring this piece and especially Rob…Read more New paper: ‘Close the tap!’: COVID-19 and the need for convivial conservation

This paper is a collaborative effort with Paul Hebinck and Sian Sullivan. It addresses epistemological and (cross-disciplinary) methodological issues, particularly positionality and self-reflexivity on one's position as a researcher. Especially when one works as a professional, this is important, as our case material from Namibia shows. You can read the paper here, and last year…Read more New paper: Science for success—A conflict of interest? Researcher position and reflexivity in socio-ecological research for CBNRM in Namibia.