Dr Kearrin Sims ~ Lecturer, Development Studies

Kearrin is a critical development scholar trained in sociology and international relations. His current research emanates from a critical interpretative analysis of the field of development with a particular focus on (1) the intensification of intraregional socio-cultural and economic flows within Asia, (2)geopolitics of development and the rise of non-DAC donors, (3) the complex community-scale implications of macro-scale development agendas, (4) human rights and political reform within Asia, and (5) conceptualizing alternative pathways for community wellbeing.

Kearrin’s research is grounded in an interdisciplinary and collaborative research framework that uses Asia as a point of empirical focus for critically interrogating the western-centric theoretical approaches that currently prevail in the field of development. In particular, by approaching the field of development as a highly politicised arena of resource struggles and competing value-systems that are entered from different positions of power, Kearrin has sought to uncover how processes of social and economic power redistribution within Asia might lead to greater representation and accountability for the poor.

Kearrin’s approach to academia is centered on finding creative and collaborative mechanisms for bringing together teaching, research and community engagement activities. He has taught at multiple universities and has served in a number of volunteering positions for non-profit organisations both in Australia and abroad. To date, much of Kearrin’s research and community outreach has been focused within Southeast Asia. In particular, he has had a strong interest in transnational connectivity programs and the geopolitics of development in Laos.

Teaching

• EV2360: Cradle to Grave: Population Economy and Environment (Level 2; CNS & TSV)
• EV5955: Contemporary Issues in Development Practice (Level 5; CNS)

Experience

• 2016 to 2018 - Adjunct Fellow, Humanitarian and Development Relief Initiative (HADRI), School of Social Sciences and Psychology (Western Sydney University)
• 2015 to 2017 - Research Associate, Institute for Culture and Society (Western Sydney University)

Research Disciplines

• Political Science (1606)
• Anthropology (1601)
• Human Geography (1604)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding Knowledge (9701)
• International Relations (9403)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Sims K (2015) Culture, community-oriented learning and the post-2015 development agenda: a view from Laos. Third World Quarterly, 36 (10). pp. 1922-1943
• Sims K (2015) The Asian Development Bank and the production of poverty: neoliberalism, technocratic modernization and land dispossession in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 36 (1). pp. 112-126
• Howe B and Sims K (2011) Human Security and Development in Lao PDR: a responsibility to provide and protect. Asian Survey, 51 (2). pp. 333-355

Book Chapters

• Sims K (2016) Uneven geographies of transnational capitalism in Laos. In: Globalization and Transnational Capitalism in Asia and Oceania. Routledge, Abingdon, UK, pp. 199-213
• Sims K and Winter T (2016) In the slipstream of development: World Heritage and development-induced displacement in Laos. In: Urban Heritage, Development and Sustainability: international frameworks, national and local governance. Key Issues in Cultural Heritage. Routledge, Abingdon, UK, pp. 23-36

Other research outputs

• Sims K (2017) Economic growth and development in Lao PDR: who pays for progress? Human Rights Defender, 26 (1). pp. 20-21
• Sims K (2016) Is Laos’ ASEAN chairmanship a threat to southeast Asian regionalism? The Diplomat, 15 April 2016. pp. 1-3
• Sims K (2016) Book review of "Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Laos: perspective for today’s world", by S.P. Stobbe. Abingdon, UK, Routledge, 2015. ISBN: 978-1138774766. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 38 (2). pp. 324-326
• Sims K (2014) The disappeared. Southeast Asia Globe, 18 June 2014.
• Sims K (2014) Missing Sombath a test for ASEAN. Asian Currents, 14 June 2014.
• Sims K (2013) The case of Sombath Somphone. New Mandala, 2 October 2017. p. 1
• Sims K and Arvanitakis J (2013) Why a missing Lao activist should concern us all. New Matilda, September 11 2013. p. 1

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 15+ research outputs authored by Dr Kearrin Sims from 2011 onwards.

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.