MSc, Imperial College London; BSc, University of Leeds

My work examines the social-political and institutional dimensions of forest governance that produce inequality, violence and forest degradation. I am particularly interested in examining the ‘politics’ of forest governance that enable inequalities to endure. Through my research, I intended to challenge and further highlight the dominant structures and institutions within forest governance that produce inequality. My research at present is based in Thailand, and is only made possible through the co-operation of a local Karen community, civil society organizations, the international non-governmental organizations, RECOFTC-The Centre for People and Forests, and many other individuals that assist me along the way.

Contact Information:

Keywords:
illegal logging; inequality; violence; corruption; Indigenous and forest-dependant peoples; Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).

Awards and Distinctions:

President’s Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award (2020)

Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (2015-2019)

University of British Columbia, Public Scholars Program (entered 2017)

Imperial College, Silwood Park, Scholarship MSc program (2008)

Academic Publications (peer-reviewed):

Lewis, S. R. and Bulkan, J. (2022) ‘The political logics of EU-FLEGT in Thailand’s multistakeholder negotiations: Hegemony and resistance’, Journal of Political Ecology, 29(1), pp. 383–404. doi: 10.2458/jpe.2398

Gritten, D., Lewis, S. R., Breukink, G., Mo, K., Thuy, D. T. T., & Delattre, E. (2019). Assessing forest governance in the countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion. Forests, 10(1), 47. https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/1/47

Gritten, D., Greijmans, M., Lewis, S. R., Sokchea, T., Atkinson, J., Quang, T. N., … & Paudel, N. S. (2015). An uneven playing field: regulatory barriers to communities making a living from the timber from their forests–examples from Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam. Forests, 6(10), 3433-3451. https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/10/3433/htm

Academic Publications (non-peer-reviewed):

Greijmans, M., Gritten, D., Rivera, C.J., Bui, L.T. and Lewis, S.R. (2015). 3.1. Building blocks for viable community forestry enterprises. Effective forest and farm producer organizations. EFTN News 57, 149. Tropenbos International, Wageningen, the Netherlands. vi + 218 pp http://www.pacificfarmers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ETFRN-57.pdf#page=157

TP Organics (2011). Response to the consultation on the “Bio-based economy for Europe: state of play and future potential”. Brussels: Technology Platform Organics. (lead author to section 3.2)

Ellison, D., Koivisto, A., Mutanen, A., Mola, B., Gritten, D., Verkerk, H., Ellingson, L., Lewis, S. and Arevalo, J. (2009) Role of Forest Policy In Fighting Climate Change – Forest Policy Work Group Report. In. Karjalainen, T., Lindner, M., Niskanen, A. and Lier M (eds.). Joensuu Forestry Networking Week 2009 Fighting Climate Change: Adapting Forest Policy and Forest Management in Europe. Working Papers of the Finnish Forest Research Institute. http://www.metla.fi/julkaisut/workingpapers/2009/mwp135.pdf.

Projects Worked:

EU-FLEGT Thailand – RECOFTC – Civil Society’s role in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement Implementation Phase- Independent Consultant – 2020

Voices for Mekong forests (V4MF) – RECOFTC, Research associate 2018-2019

Cambodia REDD+ Awareness Raising – RECOFTC, Project associate 2013-2014

WWF Education For Nature Reforestation Grant Cambodia– RECOFTC -Grant writer and Project lead – 2013 & 2014

Developing a UK Eco-Agroforestry Network – The Organic Research Center -Project Lead – 2011

Conference and Professional Presentations:

Lewis, S. 2020. The environmental injustices of illegal logging within a Karen village in western Thailand. Resources, Sustainability, and Governance. The American Association of Geographers (AAG), Online. April 6-10m 2020

Lewis, S. 2020. The production of inequality among ethnic minority communities in Thailand and implications for the emerging bioeconomy. Development Days, Helsinki, February 27-28, 2020

Lewis, S. 2018 Elevating the voices of forest peoples: The search for environmental justice in South-East Asia. PhDs Go Public. University of British Columbia, Graduate & Postgraduate Studies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_IwKDq2pco

Invited keynote commentator. Climate Change Responses in Cambodia: Challenges and Opportunities for Climate Change Research. The Learning Institute. January 14th, 2014.

Conference organizer and facilitator. Eco-Agroforestry: A Route to Sustainable Intensification. Wakelyns, Agroforestry Farm, Suffolk, UK. May 26th, 2011.