Katie Foster
Katie Foster is an environmental anthropologist based at the University of Georgia. Broadly, her research focuses on issues of environmental governance and justice and the ambiguous role of policy within “wicked” or complex multi-scalar social-ecological challenges.
Situating her work at the intersection of political ecology and legal anthropology, she is driven by questions such as:
In 2020, Katie was awarded three dissertation research grants from the National Science Foundation, Fulbright-Hays Program, and Social Science Research Council to study mining conflicts in the Peruvian Andes and the implementation of international Indigenous rights laws on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. She earned her PhD in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology from the University of Georgia in 2023 and has conducted research on a variety of conservation issues, including global agricultural value chains, third-party environmental certifications, aquatic invasive species, and the illegal wildlife trade.
In addition to her research, Katie has been involved in policy advocacy at the international climate negotiations (COP 20, 21, and 28) and worked for several years in the non-profit sector in sustainable urban agriculture, native plant conservation, and environmental education. She has an abiding appreciation for gardens, soils, native plants and wildlife, all of which informs her academic interest in ecological restoration and commitment to teaching about sustainability, in its many facets.
Research interests
Environmental governance, political ecology, global environmental change, environmental justice, land-use, climate policy, biodiversity conservation, agricultural systems, mining, resilience, ecological restoration, sustainability, international environmental law, human rights, multi-stakeholder decision-making, policy implementation, science and policy communication
Link to website: https://katiefoster-uga.wixsite.com/eanth.
Select Recent Publications
2023 L.C. Foster and L. German. Evaluating the Laws and Practice of FPIC Across Latin America. Submitted to World Development.
2021 W. DePuy, J. Weger, L.C. Foster, A. Bonanno, S. Kumar, K. Lear, R. Basilio, and L. German. (2021) Environmental Governance: Broadening Ontological Spaces for a More Livable World. Environment and Planning: Nature and Space, 1-29.
2021 L.C. Foster (2021) Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America: A Comparative Review of Implementation and the Participation of Indigenous Women. Organización Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas Andinas y Amazónicas del Perú [technical report]
2020 L. German, A. Bonanno, L.C. Foster, and L. Cotula. (2020) “Inclusive Business” in Agriculture: Evidence from the evolution of agricultural value chains. World Development 134: 105018, 1-21.
Education
PhD - Integrative Conservation & Anthropology, University of Georgia (2023)
BA - Animal Behavior (minor: Environmental Studies), Southwestern University (2012)
Situating her work at the intersection of political ecology and legal anthropology, she is driven by questions such as:
- How do international laws get transformed, adapted, or undermined as they are implemented by national and subnational governments?
- What are the implications of these dynamics on international policies which seek to address pressing global challenges like climate change, natural resource conflicts, and biodiversity loss?
In 2020, Katie was awarded three dissertation research grants from the National Science Foundation, Fulbright-Hays Program, and Social Science Research Council to study mining conflicts in the Peruvian Andes and the implementation of international Indigenous rights laws on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. She earned her PhD in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology from the University of Georgia in 2023 and has conducted research on a variety of conservation issues, including global agricultural value chains, third-party environmental certifications, aquatic invasive species, and the illegal wildlife trade.
In addition to her research, Katie has been involved in policy advocacy at the international climate negotiations (COP 20, 21, and 28) and worked for several years in the non-profit sector in sustainable urban agriculture, native plant conservation, and environmental education. She has an abiding appreciation for gardens, soils, native plants and wildlife, all of which informs her academic interest in ecological restoration and commitment to teaching about sustainability, in its many facets.
Research interests
Environmental governance, political ecology, global environmental change, environmental justice, land-use, climate policy, biodiversity conservation, agricultural systems, mining, resilience, ecological restoration, sustainability, international environmental law, human rights, multi-stakeholder decision-making, policy implementation, science and policy communication
Link to website: https://katiefoster-uga.wixsite.com/eanth.
Select Recent Publications
2023 L.C. Foster and L. German. Evaluating the Laws and Practice of FPIC Across Latin America. Submitted to World Development.
2021 W. DePuy, J. Weger, L.C. Foster, A. Bonanno, S. Kumar, K. Lear, R. Basilio, and L. German. (2021) Environmental Governance: Broadening Ontological Spaces for a More Livable World. Environment and Planning: Nature and Space, 1-29.
2021 L.C. Foster (2021) Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America: A Comparative Review of Implementation and the Participation of Indigenous Women. Organización Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas Andinas y Amazónicas del Perú [technical report]
2020 L. German, A. Bonanno, L.C. Foster, and L. Cotula. (2020) “Inclusive Business” in Agriculture: Evidence from the evolution of agricultural value chains. World Development 134: 105018, 1-21.
Education
PhD - Integrative Conservation & Anthropology, University of Georgia (2023)
BA - Animal Behavior (minor: Environmental Studies), Southwestern University (2012)
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