|
Research Interests
Dr.
Hunter's research examines the following three main
areas of human-environment interactions:
1) Population,
Environment, and Rural
Livelihoods
2) Migration and
Environmental Context
3) Public Perception of Environmental Issues
Population,
Environment, and Rural Livelihoods
Within
all environmental contexts, sociodemographic, economic, and biophysical
factors interact to yield important environmental changes. As an
example of the interactions between these factors, regional economic
shifts can bring population redistribution, which, in turn, impacts
biodiversity through attendant land-use transitions.
A
key part of Lori's current research agenda explores natural resources
and rural livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. The Agincourt Health and Demographic
Surveillance Site in rural South Africa has served as the
primary study setting for this work. Topical
foci thus far have included natural resources as coping strategies for
HIV/AIDS-impacted households; the role of wild foods in food security;
and migration as related to climate variability.
For
more information on the Agincourt field site:
http://web.wits.ac.za/Academic/Health/PublicHealth/Agincourt/agincourt_hdss.htm
Some of
Lori's earlier work in this area examined population-environment
dynamics in Utah and the California Mojave.
Recent
Publications and
Working Papers:
- 2006-2007. Web articles written
for the Population Reference Bureau
- 2007,
Alex deSherbinin, Leah
VanWey, Kendra McSweeney, Rimjhim Aggarwal, Alisson Barbieri, Sabine
Henry, Lori M. Hunter, Wayne Twine. "Household
Micro-Demographics, Livelihoods and the Environment” Global
Environmental Change.
- 2007,
Hunter Lori M., Wayne Twine
and Laura Patterson. " 'Locusts
Are Now Our Beef" Adult Mortality and Household Dietary Use of
Local Environmental Resources.” Scandinavian
Journal of Public Health.
- 2006.
Tracy Kirkland, Lori M. Hunter and Wayne Twine. ""The Bush is No More:' Insights on Natural
Resource Availability from the Agincourt Field Site in Rural South
Africa." Society and Natural
Resources.
- 2005.
Hunter, Lori M, Wayne Twine and Aaron Johnson. "Population
Dynamics and the Environment: Examining the Natural Resource Context of
the HIV/AIDS Pandemic." Working Paper EB2005.0004.
- 2004, Hunter, Lori M., Manuel
Gonzalez, Matt
Stevenson, Richard Toth, Thomas Edwards, Robert Lilieholm, and Mary
Cablk, "Population
and Development in the California Mojave: Natural Habitat Implications
of Alternative Futures" Population Research and Policy
Review.
- 2003, Hunter, Lori M., John Beal, and
Tom Dickinson "Integrating
Demographic and GAP Analysis Biodiversity Data: Useful Insight?"
Human Dimensions of Wildlife.
- 2001. The Environmental Implications of Population
Dynamics. Available
from the RAND website ( www.rand.org ).
Migration and
Environmental Context
The
American public has become increasingly aware of environmental issues
especially during the past three decades. This increasing awareness has
generally translated into more attention being focused on the effects
of pollution and higher value
being placed on surroundings free from environmental risk. Lori's
research within this area has been motivated by the possibility that
such environmental concern may be reflected in the choice of
residential location.
Recent
Publications and Working Papers:
- 2007,
Jarron Saint Onge, Lori M. Hunter and Jason Boardman. "Population
Growth in High Amenity Rural Areas: Does It Bring Opportunity for
Long-Term Residents?" Social Science Quarterly..
- 2005, Hunter, Lori M. "Migration
and Environmental Hazards." Population and Environment.
- 2004,
Hunter, Lori M., Jason Boardman, and Jarron Saint
Onge. "The
Association between Natural Amenities, Rural Population Growth and
Long-Term
Residents' Economic Well-Being." Rural
Sociology.
- 2004, Hunter, Lori M. and Jeannette Sutton. "Examining
Hazardous Waste Facilities and Rural "Brain Drain." Rural
Sociology.
- 2003, Hunter, Lori M., Michael J. White, Jani
Little, and Jeannette Sutton. "Environmental
Hazards, Migration, and Race" Population and Environment: An
Interdisicplinary Journal.
Public Perception
of Environmental Issues
Human-environment
relations are also greatly affected by the ways in which individuals
perceive their environmental context. Within this area, Lori's research
has contributed to the body of literature examining social variation in
environmental perception.
Recent
Publications and Working Papers:
- 2007,
Tracy Kirkland, Lori M. Hunter and Wayne Twine. " 'The
Bush is No More': Insights on Natural Resource Availability from the
Agincourt Field Site in Rural South Africa." Society and Natural Resources.
- 2005, Hunter, Lori M. "Household
Strategies in the Face of Resource Scarcity: Are They Associated with
Development Priorities." Population Research and Policy
Review.
- 2005,
White, Michael J. and Lori M. Hunter. “Environmental
Perceptions in Ghana: Critical Consideration of the Post-Materialist
Thesis.” Working Paper
EB
2005-0003.
- 2005,
Hunter, Lori M. and Michael B. Toney. “Religion
and Attitudes toward the Environment: A Comparison of Mormons and the
General U.S. Population." Social Science Journal.
- 2004, Hunter, Lori M., Alison Hatch, and Aaron
Johnson. "Cross-National
Variation in Environmental Concern by Gender" Social Science Quarterly.
- 2004, Hunter, Lori M. and Lesley Rinner. "The
Association Between Environmental Perspective and Knowledge and Concern
with Species Diversity." Society and Natural Resources.
- 2004, Hunter, Lori M. and Joan Brehm. "A
Qualitative Examination of Value Orientations Toward Wildlife and
Biodiversity in a
Rural Community of the Intermountain West." Human Ecology
Review.
- 2003, Hunter, Lori M.
and Joan Brehm. "Qualitative
Insight Into Public Knowledge of, and Concern With, Biological
Diversity." Human Ecology.
|
