Timothy Adams

Dr. Timothy Adams is a PostDoc researcher and academic at the University of Bern's Geographical Institute, part of the Faculty of Spatial Development and Planning. His work focuses on interdisciplinary human geography and gender studies, addressing global resource economies and their local impacts. He specializes in resource governance, environmental justice, and market-based approaches to sustainable land management, with a focus on Africa. Adams' research explores collective tenure arrangements, blockchain in land governance, and the intersection of gender, inequality, and development.

Education:

• PhD in Geography, University of Bern (2020)
• Studies at University of Maastricht (2010), University of Twente (2012), University of St. Gallen (2014), and University of Konstanz (2016).

Research Interests: Critical development studies, agrarian transformation, environmental knowledge governance, formalized collective tenure (FACT), and blockchain applications in land governance. He examines how global capitalist forces reshape rural landscapes, labor relations, and environmental sustainability.

Key Projects: Postdoc research on FACT institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa's agriculture and conservation sectors. Investigating blockchain's role in enhancing tenure security and gender equality.

Awards:

• Barbara Lischetti Prize (2020) for gender research excellence.

Grants & Advising: Active in international consultancies on resource governance. Has advised on large-scale land investments across Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, and Burkina Faso. His work emphasizes participatory methodologies and feminist post-colonial approaches.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Geographical Institute's research groups on land governance and environmental justice. Engages in interdisciplinary teams addressing Africa's socio-ecological challenges.