Political Ecology · Asia-Pacific
Landscapes, Livelihoods, and Environmental Governance
I am an environmental social scientist studying the political economy of land use change across the Asia-Pacific — deforestation, agrarian transformation, urban vulnerability, and community governance of natural resources.
My work is rooted in long-term fieldwork in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, with a growing focus on Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Research
Research themes across
land, water, and the commons
Agrarian & Frontier Transformations
Commodity booms, enclosure, and deforestation in tropical forest countries — and the grassroots movements that resist and reshape them. Focused on oil palm and rubber expansion in Indonesia, and the long politics of land reclamation.
The Commons & Collective Action
How communities actively govern shared resources — from forests to watersheds to fisheries — and what it means to build durable institutions for the commons. I serve as IASC Conference Chair for the global Biennial in 2027.
Urban Vulnerability & Hydrosocial Change
From Jakarta to the new capital Nusantara — coastal urbanization, flooding, and the political and livelihood transitions reshaping Indonesia's vulnerable deltas and waterfront communities.
Climate Policy & Community Resilience
Community-centered approaches to climate adaptation and governance across the Asia-Pacific, with a focus on participatory methods, engaged scholarship, and reshaping resilience policy from below.
From the Field
Fieldwork across Indonesia,
Thailand & the Pacific
Long-term field research in South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, Jakarta, and the Chiang Mai highlands — alongside community members, students, and collaborators across the region.
