Joshua J. Ramisch

Dr. Joshua J. Ramisch is a Full Professor (tenured) at the University of Ottawa’s School of International Development & Global Studies. With over 25 years of fieldwork in Kenya, Mali, and globally, he focuses on the social dimensions of environmental problems, including climate change, food security, local ecological knowledge, and how mobility (via cellphones, motorcycles) reshapes rural development. He teaches courses on food security, livelihoods, research methods, and African development.

• Ph.D., School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, UK (1998)
• B.Sc., International Development Studies (Co-operative), University of Toronto (1995)

His research bridges food systems, environment, and culture in sub-Saharan Africa and the Global South. He has held affiliations with institutions like the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF) in Nairobi and the Land Tenure Centre at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Recent publication trends include mobility studies (motorcycles, cellphones), agrarian change, and participatory research in Kenyan contexts. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches connecting ecological and social sciences.

• Supervised 1 Ph.D. and 36 M.A. students to completion
• Currently supervising 4 Ph.D. and 4 M.A. students

He has collaborated with organizations such as the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF), Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), and the Land Tenure Centre.