Tirso Gonzales
Assistant Professor, Indigenous Studies
Tirso Gonzales, Ph.D., completed his doctorate in rural sociology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His work as a scholar, international consultant and activist has allowed him to work closely with Indigenous Peoples in the Americas. He is an Assistant Professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada. His current work explores the use of indigenous and non-indigenous research methodologies and techniques on issues central to self-determined indigenous development. His scholarly work includes indigenous strategic vision, indigenous agrobiodiversity and climate change. He was lead author and chapter contributor for the Latin American and Caribbean, LAC, Sub-Global Report on the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). He has published several articles and chapters on indigenous agriculture and knowledge. His recent scholarly publications include the book chapters “From Colonial Encounter to Decolonizing Encounters. Culture and Nature seen from the Andean Cosmovision of Ever: the Nurturance of Life as Whole” ( Earthscan 2010) and “Positioning Indigenous Peoples on the Sustainability of Local Indigenous Agri-cultures and Agrobiodiversity in Times of Climate Change and Climate Change Crisis.” (Theytus 2010). He is committed to supporting the agenda of Indigenous Peoples as well as processes related to indigenous ecological knowledge, cultural affirmation and decolonization. His current research focuses on Dialogue of Latin American Andean Agri-cultures, Gender and Climate Change; Centers for Mutual Learning, Indigenous Intellectuals and decolonizing Latin American indigenous studies.
Degrees
- M.S. University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, Madison
Research Interests
- Latin American Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Development in the Americas (North, Central and South); Rural Sociology; Participatory Research and Methodologies
- Indigeneity, Place, Reindigenization; Indigenous Social Movements
- Indigeneity, Ecological Justice and Resource Rights, Conservation and Management of Natural Resources; Indigenous In Situ Conservation of Native Crops; Biological and Cultural Diversity; Environmentally and socially sustainable development in Latin America and the Americas; International Agriculture
- Political Ecology and Political Economy of the Americas
- Religious Studies and Cosmos-visions
Selection of Publications
- “Sense of Place and Indigenous Peoples’ Conservation.” In Virginia Nazarea (ed.) Seeds of Resistance/Seeds of Hope: Cultural Biological Interface in the Repatriation and In Situ on Conservation of Traditional Crops. (Forthcoming)
- "An Overview of Contemporary Native American Responses to Environmental Threats in Indian Country" with Melissa Nelson. A paper for series on Religions of the World and Ecology: Indigenous Traditions and Ecology. Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University Press. (2001)
- "The Cultures of the Seed in the Peruvian Andes." In Stephen Brush (ed.) Genes in the Field. On-Farm Conservation of Crop Diversity. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, IPGRI, Rome, Italy, The International Development Research Center, Canada, IDRC, Ottawa, Canada, Lewis Publishers.
Affiliations
- Founding Member, Wairakaspy Indigenous NGO working on the strengthening of Indigenous Andean-Amazonian medicine and plants. (Feb, 2004)
- Charter Member (1998-March 2001) of the Advisory Committee for the International Program "First Peoples Worldwide” (FPW), of the First Nations Development Institute, Virginia.
- Member (Since 1996) Indigenous Research Center of the Americas, IRCA, Native American Studies, UC-Davis.
Current Courses
UBC Okanagan Calendar Course Descriptions are available at available online.
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- Cultural and Biological Diversity in the Americas
- Issues on Cultural Affirmation and Decolonization
Last reviewed 
11/3/2010 12:46:26 PM
Contact
ART311
Phone: 250-807-9422
Fax: 250-807-8001
E-mail: tirso.gonzales@ubc.ca
University of British Columbia Okanagan
Community, Culture and Global Studies
3333 University Way
Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7
