简介

I am a cultural anthropologist interested in human-environment interactions in the Brazilian Amazon. My research seeks to understand Amazonian livelihoods and land uses in relation to the often cited political and economic drivers, but also to expand the view through attention to cultural factors, such as ideals of work, nature, and masculinity, as well as food and landscape preferences. The goal is to understand why destructive environmental practices, particularly cattle raising, make sense from the perspective of different actors. This research in the western Amazon state of Acre, Brazil is the subject of my book: Rainforest Cowboys: The Rise of Ranching and Cattle Culture in Western Amazonia. My current research is focused on three areas: cattle raising and cowboy/cattle cultures in the Amazon, India, and the American West; the political-economic and symbolic dimensions of increasing demand for meat and animal protein in emerging nations; and everyday forms of nature control.