McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Murray Humphries
Start: 2016-09-06
End: 2019-09-01
Personal page

Project

Describing Indigenous Food Security: a multi-disciplinary approach to valuing Canada’s wild food systems
My doctoral research will focus on describing in greater detail indigenous food security and the connections between food and cultural identity. This research will be integrative and multi-disciplinary, seeking to link the ecological economic thinking with policy making, environmental impacts with food security and cultural identity, and development with community wellbeing. Concepts identified for my thesis include comprehensive summation of current First Nation food systems, quantification of dietary change and indigenous perspectives and experiences with this change, tracking of changes in cultural hunting traditions, and estimating the value of current Indigenous harvests, as well as the value of standing wild meat in Canada. This project aims to co-generate knowledge with First Nations about dietary change in their territories, track changes in traditional food consumption and acquisition techniques. With this knowledge, First Nations can inform their decision making about preserving their food systems. This project is also interested in the utilisation of ecosystem services, particularly contributions to Indigenous wellbeing not considered by traditional economic indicators.