This talk will explore the political nature of Ireland's afforestation model, using a case study from rural North County Cork to explore the local consequences of forest expansion programs. Asselin will explore the property implications of such a model, linking this single case study to a wider discussion of green forest discourse and policy in Ireland and Europe.
Dr. Jodie Asselin is an associate professor of Anthropology at the University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada. Her research focuses on the intersection of rural culture and resource extraction in Canada and Europe, often by examining forest politics and rural livelihoods. Dr. Asselin co-runs the Forest Anthropology Working Group of Europe and Beyond (FORAGE) and recently stepped down as director of the Center for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) at the University of Lethbridge. Her writing examines research engagement with Indigenous communities, impact assessment, rural enskillment and environmental insecurity. More recently her work has focused on a critical examination of Ireland’s afforestation models, and the idea of green frontiers within Europe. Dr. Asselin’s current research program explores critical deep mapping as a technique to re-story afforested spaces with cultural narratives.
