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SUMMARY:Forests\, Gender\, and Surveillance: Navigating Ethics\, Risks\, a
 nd Government Backlash Post-Publication - Trishant Simlai (Conservation Re
 searcher)
DTSTART:20250522T120000Z
DTEND:20250522T130000Z
UID:TALK231559@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Tom Fry
DESCRIPTION:A 2025 paper published in Environment and Planning F\, derived
  from a University of Cambridge Geography PhD (2017–2021) and 14 months 
 of ethnographic fieldwork in Corbett Tiger Reserve\, examined how wildlife
  monitoring technologies transform forest spaces into masculinized domains
 \, extending society’s patriarchal gaze into the wilderness. A Universit
 y of Cambridge press release titled “Wildlife Monitoring Technologies Us
 ed to Intimidate and Spy on Women” garnered global attention\, with cove
 rage by over 500 news outlets worldwide. This  viral response triggered sw
 ift action from India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests\, resulting 
 in a government investigation\, coupled with severe intimidation of the re
 searcher through threats\, surveillance\, and legal tactics aimed at discr
 editing them. Despite these challenges\, local communities rallied in supp
 ort to defend the researcher. Against a backdrop of public outrage over ti
 ger-related human deaths and Uttarakhand’s women’s empowerment campaig
 ns\, the paper’s impact underscores the dual nature of academic “impac
 t.” This seminar explores the risks and responsibilities of political ec
 ology research in India\, probing how researchers can prepare for and navi
 gate the consequences of speaking truth to power.
LOCATION:Department of Geography\, Small Lecture Theatre
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