Book launch - Geographies of New Caledonia-Kanaky – Environments, Politics and Cultures

Since May 13, 2024, the French overseas territory New Caledonia-Kanaky has been experiencing a violent insurrection with extensive damage to property and infrastructure, mostly led by Indigenous Kanak youth who claim political independence from France. Around 1.3 billion AUD of damage has resulted, and the New Caledonian economy, dominated by its large nickel sector, lies in ruins.

Some weeks before, Simon Batterbury and Matthias Kowasch released the edited volume Geographies of New Caledonia-Kanaky – Environments, Politics and Cultures with Springer, including 21 chapters dealing with biodiversity, environmental protection, mining, land reform, education, Indigenous Kanak languages, decolonisation, and the unresolved independence question for these French-speaking islands. Chapters are authored by Australian, Austrian, French, Caledonian, and Indigenous Kanak scholars, and were published Open Access with Springer so you can download or view all the chapters.

Considering current discussions about unfinished decolonisation and Indigenous rights, the book is highly topical and gives insights into current pressing issues and futures perspectives for Australia’s Pacific neighbour.

Agenda:

2.30pm - Keynote 'Current insurrection and women's perspectives in New Caledonia-Kanaky', by Nicole George, and Matthias Kowasch
2.50pm - Book launch - Geographies of New Caledonia-Kanaky – Environment, Politics and Cultures, by Simon P J Batterbury, and Matthias Kowasch
3.10pm - Questions and discussion
3.40pm - Light refreshments

Speakers:

Associate Professor Nicole George
University of Queensland

Nicole's research focuses on the gendered politics of conflict and peacebuilding, violence, security and participation. Since the early 2000s, she has conducted research focusing on gender politics, gendered security and post conflict transition in Fiji, New Caledonia, Bougainville and Solomon Islands.

Matthias Kowasch
University College of Teacher Education Styria, Austria (as of 1/10/2024: Sorbonne University, France); Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Matthias has been appointed Professor of Human and Economic Geography at the Sorbonne, and works on sustainability education, mining governance and Indigenous knowledge. He has spent around four years in New Caledonia. Email: matthias.kowasch@phst.at

Simon P J Batterbury
University of Melbourne, AUS; Lancaster University, UK

Simon is Professor of Environmental Studies at Melbourne and supports PhD students and postdocs at the Melbourne Climate Futures Academy. His research focuses on human-environment relations in marginal places, and political ecology of mining. Email: simonpjb@unimelb.edu.au

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