Research

My research, in a broad sense, focuses on the social and institutional dimensions of environmental governance. The notion of systems of policies, regulations, norms, decision-making-processes and property rights (known as institutions) that govern human-environment interactions is central to my research. I am particularly interested in examining how institutions, at multiple levels and scales, can be designed and changed to promote improved environmental governance. This includes:

• examining institutional responses to overuse and degradation of natural resources, and to climate change;
• analysing institutional interactions at multiple levels (local, sub-national, national, international and intermediate levels); and,
• identifying governance attributes that promote (or otherwise) sustainable resources use and management.

Examples of my current research include investigating the governance of large-scale complex marine resource systems