Dr. Jeji Varghese

Biography

Jeji Varghese is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph. His research primarily focuses on environmental and natural resource sociology, engaging with Indigenous and Western science knowledge systems, and exploring community-engaged scholarship. His work examines the social dimensions of environmental issues, particularly related to natural resource governance and household sustainability practices. Varghese’s teaching encompasses subjects like environmental sociology, Indigenous-Settler relations, and community-engaged qualitative research, often integrating a community engaged learning approach. He completed his PhD in 2005 in Rural Sociology at the University of Alberta, where his dissertation focused on the social consequences of local ownership in forest-dependent communities in Canada. Previously, he served as a Research Associate at the Guelph Water Management Group, where he conducted research related to water governance. Varghese has contributed to several notable publications addressing the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, ecology, and resource management. His scholarship emphasizes equitable socio-ecological transitions and the role of marginalized voices in governance.

Research Interests

Experience