Research at a glance
Area(s) of Expertise
Research Summary
The overarching goal of John Canfield’s research program is to understand how rural communities collaborate to solve complex environmental problems. Research findings support the improvement of community-engaged strategies and collaborative conservation practices that address ecological restoration while navigating the human dimensions of resource management.
Canfield is an Environmental Sociologist whose research program focuses on the human dimensions of grasslands ecological restoration and community development, with an emphasis on Montana’s Northern Great Plains. Research themes encompass: 1) working with community partners to improve understanding of grasslands ecological restoration and local development, 2) utilizing methodologically diverse frameworks spanning qualitative research, participatory net mapping, and social network analysis, 3) examining how multistakeholder networks facilitate collaborative conservation, and 4) exploring the intersections of capitalism, community boundaries, and rural environmental governance.
Educational Background
- Ph.D., Environmental Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison