Tim McLellan

Tim McLellan is a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology at Thammasat University, with an upcoming position as Lecturer in Anthropology at The Australian National University (ANU) starting July 2024. His research focuses on environmental anthropology, science and technology studies (STS), and the intersection of bureaucracy with scientific practices. McLellan’s work examines how environmental experts navigate audit cultures and bureaucratic challenges to foster equitable and sustainable futures. He conducted ethnographic fieldwork in southwest China with agroforestry scientists and in Thailand with landscape architects designing climate-smart cities. His 2024 book Science Interrupted critiques audit-driven research paradigms and advocates for more vulnerable, collaborative approaches to science. His research spans topics like deskilling in agro-environmental research, global development methodologies, and the role of guanxi in Chinese institutional practices. McLellan’s interdisciplinary work bridges the environmental humanities and sciences, emphasizing participatory and reflexive research practices.

His articles analyze themes such as bureaucracy’s dual role as a constraint and catalyst for scientific innovation, the ethical dimensions of global research partnerships, and the temporal dynamics of agroforestry science. Collaborations include transnational projects on biodiversity conservation and urban sustainability. While no explicit awards are listed, his scholarly contributions reflect a commitment to rethinking academic practices to address planetary challenges.