JCU > Research Portfolio > Dr Zoe Ju-Han Wang

About

Zoe is a Lecturer in Environment and Development. She holds a PhD in Human Geography from the University of Sydney, a Master in Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor in Science from National Taiwan University. She is an interdisciplinary expert on environmental governance, natural resource management and rural development, with a strong focus on community-based and participatory approach. Her research concerns the politics of environment and development, such as indigenous resource governance, participation and empowerment.The geographical focus of her research has been Asia-Pacific region, including China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka and Australia. Zoe's research is based on extensive fieldwork and her analysis primarily adopts political ecology approach. For the most of Zoe’s research career, she has been conducting research looking at the influence of various environmental, development and agrarian interventions (e.g. NGO project, government policy and commodity market) on natural resource uses in China. Before her PhD study, Zoe worked in Taiwan as an associate researcher on climate change policy. Her work has been published in high-ranked journal such as Land Use Policy and World Development.

Prior to joining JCU, her professional experience included Research Fellow at University of Melbourne and Visiting Fellow at City University of Hong Kong. She has taught subjects such as Environmental and Resource Management, Global Environmental Politics, Environmental Policy and Governance, Environmental and Regional Planning, Research Methods on Global Development.

Zoe welcomes prospective PhD students to work on topics related to the politcal and social aspects of enviornmental governance and development.

Media Engagement

1.ABC News on climate change talk (24/11/2022). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-24/us-china-resume-climate-change-talks-what-could-it-mean/101682242

2.Channel 7 TV Cairns on temporary migrant farm workers (21/09/2022) https://mobile.twitter.com/7NewsCairns/status/1572503510553620485

3.ABC News on agriculture labourer (16/09/2022) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-16/pick-paradise-campaign-to-lure-ag-workers-to-north-queensland/101441838

4. ABC Rural Report temporary migrant farm workers (20/08/2022) https://www.abc.net.au/farnorth/programs/rural-report/far-north-and-north-queensland-rural-report/14018416

5.DW on Great Barrier Reef (26/06/2021) https://p.dw.com/p/3vahL

6.SBS Mandarin on koala conversation policy (22/09/2020) https://www.sbs.com.au/language/chinese/zh-hans/podcast-episode/koala-war-in-nsw-what-you-should-know/u4x7jcal4

7.SBS Mandarin on Au-China relation (27/03/2017) https://www.sbs.com.au/language/chinese/zh-hant/podcast-episode/free-trade-opportunism-chinese-premier-li-keqiangs-visit-in-australia/jjn7zezi4

Teaching

EV3001: Environmental and Regional Planning (Level 3; CNS & TSV)
EV5001: Environmental and Regional Planning (Level 5; CNS & TSV)
EV5200: Natural Resource Management (Level 5; TSV)
EV5951: Development in Practice (Level 5; CNS)
EV5952: Critical Issues in Global Development (Level 5; CNS)
EV5953: Research Methods for Global Development (Level 5; CNS)
EV5957: Equitable Development and Social Change (Level 5; CNS)

Interests

Research

Environmental governance
Environmental politics
Natural Resource Management
Indigenous knowledge
Development
Agrarian Change

Experience

2017 to 2019 - Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
2016 - Visiting Fellow, City University of Hong Kong

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Honours

Awards

2023 - Early Career Researcher Grant (College of Science & Engineering), JCU
2015 - Post-doctoral Geography Scholar Award, Geographical Society of NSW
2012 to 2014 - Study Abroad Scholarship, Ministry of Education, Taiwan.
2010 to 2013 - International Postgraduate Research Scholarship, Australian Government
2010 to 2013 - International Postgraduate Award, University of Sydney.
2011 - APRU Travel Award, Association of Pacific Rim Universities
2003 to 2005 - Goldman International Environmental Fellowship, Yale University

Fellowships

2017 - Dyason Fellowship, University of Melbourne
2012 - APRU Fellowship, Association of Pacific Rim Universities
2004 - Coca-Cola World Fund Fellowship, Yale University.

Publications

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

Rogers S, Wilmsen B, Han X, Wang Z and van Hulten A (2023) The demise of smallholder farming in rural China? Melbourne Asia Review, 16. pp. 1-11
Rogers S, Wang Z and He J (2023) Farmers’ practices and the political ecology of agrochemicals in rural China. Geoforum, 141.
Wang Z, He J and Wilmsen B (in press) Farmers' cooperatives in Southwest China: Beyond the dichotomies of failure/success and (in) authenticity? Outlook on Agriculture,
Wilmsen B, Rogers S, Duan Y and Wang Z (2023) Farmer Cooperatives and the Limits of Agricultural Reform in Rural Hubei. The China Journal, 89.
Rogers S, Wilsem B, Han X, Wang Z, Duan Y, He J, Li J, Lin W and Wong C (2021) Scaling up agriculture? The dynamics of land transfer in inland China. World Development, 146.
Wang J and Connell J (2021) Taiwanese working holiday makers in rural and regional Australia: temporary transnational identities and employment challenges. Australian Geographer, 52 (2). pp. 191-207
Wang J and Roche G (2021) Urbanizing minority Minzu in the PRC: insights from the literature on settler colonialism. Modern China, 48 (3). pp. 593-616
Neilson J and Wang J (2019) China and the changing economic geography of coffee value chains. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 40 (3). pp. 429-451
Wang J, Fisher R and Connell J (2019) Participatory natural resource management in rural China: making and unmaking environmental narratives. Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 60 (2). pp. 205-219
Wang J (2019) National parks in China: Parks for people or for the nation? Land Use Policy, 81. pp. 825-833
Wang J and Connell J (2016) Green Watershed in Yunnan: a multi-scalar analysis of environmental non-governmental organisation (eNGO) relationships in China. Australian Geographer, 47 (2). pp. 215-232

Book Chapters

Wang J and Hu W (2012) The potential for voluntary approaches to realize a climate smart economy: private-public partnerships in Taiwan. In: Climate Smart Development in Asia: transition to low carbon and climate resilient economies. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, UK, pp. 90-106

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 14+ research outputs authored by Dr Zoe Ju-Han Wang from 2006 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Australian Research Council - Discovery - Projects

High-value horticulture and global production networks in coastal Australia

Indicative Funding: $27,404 over 3 years (administered by The University of Sydney)
Summary: High-value horticulture is booming in Australia?s north-eastern coastal strip, where a multifunctional landscape also provides various recreational, cultural and environmental services. This project aims analyses how incorporation within agricultural global production networks interacts with diverse drivers of landscape change to shape regional development outcomes. This will contribute to global production network theory by developing the territorial nexus of these networks. Expected outcomes include improved policy formulations capable of orchestrating a sustainable and equitable future for rural regions and livelihoods within Australia, with broader contributions to understanding rural development pathway elsewhere in the world.
Investigators: Zoe Ju-Han Wang, Jeffrey Neilson, William Pritchard, Rebecca Cross, Neil Coe and Kiah Smith (College of Science & Engineering, The University of Sydney and The University of Queensland)
Keywords: Horticulture; Global production network; Regional Development; North-Easteran Coastal strip

Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation - Research Grant

Transnational lives of Taiwanese working holiday makers in rural Australia

Indicative Funding: $71,296 over 4 years
Summary: This research is to understand the transnational lives of Taiwanese working holiday makers (WHM) in rural Australia, including their cultural, social and economic experiences, and their perception of and interaction with rural Australian society. While Taiwanese are the second largest WHM group in Australia, little is known about them, and nothing about their experience of employment in regional Australia. There is an urgent need to understand this substantial group of temporary migrants, whose presence essentially represents Taiwan to the rural Australian community, and whose labour contribution is potentially critical to the future of Australian rural development.
Investigators: Zoe Ju-Han Wang (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords: Working Holiday Makers (WHM); Taiwan; rural transition; Australia; farm work

Collaboration

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.