Ian G. Baird is an Assistant Professor of Geography and an affiliate of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Geographically, his research is focused on mainland Southeast Asia, especially Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. He is particularly interested in upland peoples, including the Brao and Hmong, and the ethnic Lao. Much of his research revolves around political ecology, human-environment relations, the co-management of natural resources, resource tenure issues, development studies, post-colonial studies, social movements, social theory, social and spatial (re)organization, identities, boundaries, and 19th and 20th century mainland Southeast Asia history. He conducts research regarding social justice and environmental issues associated with internal resettlement in Laos, economic land concessions in mainland Southeast Asia, and hydropower development in the Mekong region. He also has a keen interest in indigenous peoples’ issues. He has worked with progressive non-government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations in Southeast Asia for most of the last 25 years. He believes that environmental justice issues should be recognized more widely as being fundamentally linked to human rights, including rights to livelihoods. He has an extensive academic publication record.

Email: ibaird@wisc.edu