Gabi Kirk

Dr. Gabi Kirk is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment & Spatial Analysis at California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt. Her research focuses on political ecology, feminist geography, and settler colonialism in Palestine and California. She holds a PhD in Geography from UC Davis with a designated emphasis in Feminist Theory and dual B.A. degrees in Environmental Studies and History from UC Santa Cruz. Her work examines how agriculture functions as both a tool of colonial dispossession and anti-colonial resistance, particularly in the Jenin governorate of the Occupied West Bank.

Dr. Kirk’s teaching portfolio includes courses such as GEOG 100 (Human Geography), GEOG 319 (Emergence of the Modern Middle East), and GEOG 411 (Senior Field Research). She is actively engaged in scholar-activism, particularly as a Jewish member of Palestine solidarity organizations. Her research methodologies integrate archival work from multiple global sites including California, New York, London, and the Middle East.

Her current book project explores connections between Palestinian and Californian agrarian systems, emphasizing sustainability and sovereignty. She has published in journals like Journal of Political Ecology and Historical Materialism, with a focus on decolonial frameworks and feminist critiques of militarism. Her work often bridges academic scholarship with public activism through walking tours and community engagement.

Dr. Kirk maintains an active research agenda with grants supporting her fieldwork in Palestine and California. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to environmental justice, combining political ecology with feminist and Indigenous studies methodologies. Her personal interests include outdoor activities and a notable passion for teen movies and romantic comedies.