Dr. E. Edna Wangui, Assistant Professor

wangui@ohio.edu, Clippinger Labs 106, (740) 593–1097
Dr. E. Edna Wangui

Present Position:

Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Ohio University

Education:

Ph.D., Geography, Michigan State U., 2004
M.Sc. Eremology (Dryland Agriculture), Ghent U., Belgium, 1994
Post Graduate Diploma Remote Sensing, National Institute of Space Research, Brazil, 1991
B.Ed. (Science), Kenyatta U., Nairobi, Kenya, 1990

Employment History:

Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Ohio U., 2006–present
Visiting Scientist (Summer Research Affiliation), International Livestock Research Institute, Kenya, 2004–present
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Human Environment Studies, San Francisco State U., 2003–2006
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Central Michigan U., 2003
Research Associate, International Livestock Research Institute, Kenya, 1996–1998
Lecturer, Kenyatta U., Department of Geography, Kenya, 1994–1998
Lecturer, Department of Geography, Catholic U. of East Africa, Kenya, 1995–1997
Graduate Teacher, Matuga Girls High School, Kenya, 1990

Research Interests:

Broadly speaking, my research focuses on the human–environment dimension of rural livelihoods in African countries. Most recently I have looked at the gendered consequences of climate, land use/cover and livelihood change among pastoralists in Africa's drylands. Interactions of biophysical and socio–economic processes have forced pastoralists formerly dependent on migration into more sedentary livelihoods. From an environment and development perspective, it is important to understand the nature of these transitions in order to critically think about better intervention measures for environmental conservation and social and economic progress. My research has focused on three specific areas: 1) Identifying the nature and root causes of land use/cover and livelihood change. 2) Linking land use/cover and livelihood change to gender relations and gendered labor availability within the household. 3) Investigating the livelihood factors that influence the nutrition security of grandparent caregivers of AIDS orphans. In my current research, I am investigating the role that gender plays in the adaptive capacity and differential vulnerability to climate change among pastoral communities in East Africa.

Illustrative Publications:

2008
Development interventions, changing livelihoods, and the making of female Maasai pastoralists. Agriculture and Human Values 25(3):365–378.

2007
Contemporary Challenges of Participatory Field Research for Land Use Change Analyses: Examples from Kenya. Field Methods 19(4):384–406 (with Smucker, T., Campbell, D.J., Olson, J.).

2005
Multiple Methods in the Study of Driving Forces of Land Use and Land Cover Change: A Case Study of SE Kajiado District, Kenya. Human Ecology 33(6): 763–794 (with Campbell, D.J., Lusch, D., Smucker, T.).

2004
Linkages between Changes in Land Use, Biodiversity and Land Degradation in the Loitokitok Area of Kenya. Land Use Change Impacts and Dynamics (LUCID) Project Working Paper No. 42; Nairobi, Kenya: International Livestock Research Institute, and United Nations Environment Programme/Division of Global Environment Facility Coordination. www.lucideastafrica.org/publications.htm. (with Reid, R.S., Campbell, D., Gachimbi, L. N., Worden, J., Mathai, S., Mugatha, S. M., Butt, B., Maitima, J. M., Gichohi, H., and Ogol, E.).

2003
Evolution of Gender Roles in Communities in Transition: The Case of Loitokitok Division, Kenya. Land Use Change Impacts and Dynamics (LUCID) Project Working Paper No. 23; Nairobi, Kenya: International Livestock Research Institute, and United Nations Environment Programme/Division of Global Environment Facility Coordination. www.lucideastafrica.org/publications.htm.

Root Causes of Land Use Change in the Loitokitok Area, Kajiado District, Kenya. Land Use Change Impacts and Dynamics (LUCID) Project Working Paper No. 19; Nairobi, Kenya: International Livestock Research Institute, and United Nations Environment Programme/Division of Global Environment Facility Coordination. www.lucideastafrica.org/publications.htm. (with Campbell, D.J., Lusch, D.P., Smucker, T.).

Instructional Areas:

GEOG 131: Globalization and the Developing World
GEOG 241: Global Environmental Issues
GEOG 331/531: Geography of Africa
GEOG 348/548: Gender, Environment and Development
GEOG 684C: Graduate seminar–"Africa: Environment and Development"