School of Environment
Prof Richard Le Heron
Job title: Professor of Geography
Phone: 64 9 373 7599 ext 88453
Office: Rm 554, Human Sciences Building,10 Symonds Street, Auckland
Postal: School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland
Email: r.leheron@auckland.ac.nz
MA (Massey), PhD (Wash.)
Agri-food global commodity chains, governance and governmentality
This longstanding research theme was informed for more than a decade by regulation theoretical frameworks (working closely with Mike Roche, Massey University and Bob Fagan, Macquarie University) but since the early 2000s has increasingly drawn upon the Actor Network and governmentality literatures, in wider collaborations, most latterly with Hugh Campbell (University of Otago) and Peter Jackson (University of Sheffield)
Current and recent projects:
‘Closing the gap: Re-visioning global food commodity chain theory in the context of changing New Zealand-United Kingdom agri-food links’
Funder: Leverhulme Foundation, United Kingdom, 2007-2008
Co-researcher, Peter Jackson, University of Sheffield
This theoretical exploration examines two strands of work on global commodity chains – New Zealand production-orientated and UK consumption-orientated work – around contemporary changes in the NZ-UK agri-food axis
‘Feed strategy development in the context of environmental governance’,
Funder: Foundation for Research Science and Technology and Dexcel, via Ag Research 2007-2010
Co-researchers, Neels Botha (Ag Research) and Toni White (AgResearch and PhD student)
Project is examining the political economy of farm level strategy in the New Zealand dairy industry directed towards the goals of increased productivity and reduced environmental impacts
‘Learning challenges: producing to precise specification’,
Funder: Foundation for Research Science and Technology via Ag Research, 1998-2000
Co-researchers, Mark Paine, Gavin Sheath (AgResearch) and Guy Penny (PhD student)
Focused on the farmer-processor relation in dairy and sheep meat supply chain realignment following economic restructuring in New Zealand
Publications:
Le Heron, R. (2008) ‘Food’, in Castree, N. Demeritt, D. Liverman, D. and Rhoads, B. (eds) Companion to Environmental Geography, Blackwell, Oxford, forthcoming
Gray, S. Le Heron, R. Stringer, C. and Tamasy, C. (2008)‘Does geography matter? Growing a global company from New Zealand, In Stringer, C. and Le Heron, R. (eds) Agri-Food Commodity Chains and Globalising Networks, Ashgate, Aldershot, in press
Stringer, C. and Le Heron, R. (eds) (2008) Agri-Food Commodity Chains and Globalising Networks, Ashgate, Aldershot, in press
Stringer, C. and Le Heron, R. (2008) ‘Introduction: Mapping the concept of globalising networks’, In Stringer, C. and Le Heron, R. (eds) Agri-Food Commodity Chains and Globalising Networks, Ashgate, Aldershot, in press
Gray, S. Le Heron, R. Stringer, C. and Tamasy, C. (2007) ‘Competing from the edge of the global economy: the globalising world dairy industry and the emergence of Fonterra’s strategic networks’, Die Erde, 138, 2, 1-21
Campbell, H. and Le Heron, R. (2007) ‘Big Supermarkets, Big Producers and Audit Technologies: the Constitutive Micro-Politics of Food Legitimacy Food and Food System Governance’, In Lawrence, G. and Burch, D. (eds) Supermarkets and Agri-food Supply Chains, Edward Elgar, 131-153
Le Heron, R. (2005) ‘Re-constituting New Zealand’s Agri-food Chains for International Competition’, In Pritchard, B. and Fold, N. (eds.), The Dynamics of Cross-Continental Food Commodity Chain Systems, Routledge, London, 52-65
Le Heron, R. (2005) ‘Expertise and the Calculability of Agri-food Risks’, In Higgins, V. and Lawrence, G. (eds.), Agricultural Governance: Globalization and the New Politics of Regulation, Routledge, London, 186-203
Review of Barndt, D. Tangled Routes. Women, Work and Globalization on the Tomato Trail, Rowan Littlefield, New York; Harvey, M. Quilley, S. and Beynon, R. Exploring the Tomato: Transformations of nature, Society and Environment Edward Elgar, Cheltenham; and Pritchard, B and Burch, D. Agri-food Globalization in Perspective. International Restructuring in the Process Tomato Industry, Journal of Rural Studies, 2004, 20, 3, 383-385
Le Heron, R (2003) 'Cr(eat)ing food futures: reflections on food governance issues in New Zealand's agri-food sector', Journal of Rural Studies, 19, 1, 111-125
Le Heron, R, Penny, G, Paine, M, Sheath, G, Pedersen, J and Botha, N (2001) "Global supply chains and networking: a critical perspective on learning challenges in the New Zealand dairy and meat commodity chains", Journal of Economic Geography, 1, 439-456.
Recent presentations:
Le Heron, R. and Campbell, H. ‘Co-constituting spaces and scales of food governance: the examples of the globalising New Zealand dairy and kiwifruit agri-food chains’, PowerPoint presentation Association of American Geographers meeting, San Francisco, April 2007
Le Heron, R. ‘The geography of pastoral commodity systems in New Zealand’, PowerPoint presented at the Conference on ‘Pastoralism: prospects and perspectives’, University of Leipzig, April 2006
Le Heron, R. ‘Re-constituting at-a-distance market relations: New Zealand’s dairy, deer and sheep commodity systems since the 1980s’, PowerPoint presented at the Conference on ‘Pastoralism: prospects and perspectives’, University of Leipzig, April 2006
Le Heron, R. ‘Remaking agri-food relationships for international competitiveness’, PowerPoint presented to the Royal Society of New Zealand AGM, Dunedin, November 2004
Le Heron, R. ‘Agri-food governance in New Zealand under neo-liberalism’, PowerPoint presented to the Royal Society of New Zealand, North Shore Branch, Auckland, September 2004
Le Heron, R. ‘Beyond Cancun: Re-constituting New Zealand’s agri-food chains’, PowerPoint presented to the Cross-Continental Commodity Chains conference, University of Copenhagen, May 2004
Publications nearing completion:
Gray, S. Stringer, C. Tamasy, C. and Le Heron, R. ‘Moving beyond resource-based constraints: experiences of the New Zealand dairy industry’
De Cerff, D. Tamasy, C. Stringer, C. and Le Heron, R. ‘Knowledge transfer in the global economy: Fonterra’s mobile work force experience’
Recent post-graduate students:
Guy Penny (PhD)
Current post-graduate students:
Toni White (doctoral)
Post-structural political economy
This intervention springs from reading the international post-structural and political economy literatures in the context of New Zealand conditions and has been heavily influenced by collaboration with Wendy Larner (University of Auckland and now University of Bristol) and Nick Lewis (University of Auckland)
Current and recent projects:
‘Mobilising post-structural political economy in the social sciences’, ongoing
Co-researcher: Nick Lewis (University of Auckland)
The project has two aims; examining the constitution and constitutive dimensions of post-structural political economy and providing examples of the use of post-structural political economy in different contexts and conditions
‘Challenging times: Mapping the re-institutionalisation of tertiary education in New Zealand’
Funder: BRCSS, 2006-2007
Co-researchers: Nick Lewis and Ward Friesen (University of Auckland)
A multi level semi intensive interview based investigation of recent internationalisation strategies and practices of New Zealand’s tertiary institutions.
‘Building post-graduate research capabilities in the Social Sciences’
Funder: Tertiary Education Commission, 2005-2009
Co-researchers: Nick Lewis (University of Auckland
This is an Auckland contribution to the BRCSS five year project dedicated to upgrading the research capabilities in New Zealand social science. The specific focus is developing methodological expertise from exposure to new ways of framing and exploring research questions. The use of the BRCSS Access Grid is an integral part of the intervention
‘Making industries and co-constituting political projects’
Funder: University of Auckland Post-doctoral Scholarship and Research fund awarded to the New Zealand Designer Fashion Project, 2002-2004), Co-Directed by Maureen Molloy (University of Auckland) and Wendy Larner (University of Auckland and now University of Bristol)
Co-researchers: Wendy Larner and Nick Lewis (University of Auckland)
The research stems directly from bringing the post-structural literatures to bear on processes of economy and politics, especially in relation to the New Zealand designer fashion industry
‘Governing the Spaces and Practices of the Globalising Economy’
Funder: Marsden Fund, Royal Society of New Zealand, 2000-2003
Co-researcher: Wendy Larner (University of Auckland)
The research advanced understanding of relationships between globalisation and governance by revealing the practices through which the globalising economy is consolidated as a new object of economic governance. By focusing on techniques such as standard setting, harmonisation, benchmarking, performance indicators and ‘best-practice’ the research conceptualised dimensions to international competitiveness across national boundaries and showed how the globalising economy becomes both knowable and calculable through the use of such techniques.
Publications:
Lewis, N. Larner, W. and Le Heron, R. (2008), ‘The New Zealand Designer Fashion Industry: Making industries and co-constituting political projects, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, forthcoming
Larner, W. Lewis, N. and Le Heron, R. (2008) ‘The state spaces of ‘After Neoliberalism’: Co-constituting the New Zealand designer fashion industry, In Keil, R. and Mahon, R. (eds) Towards a political economy of scale, University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver BC, forthcoming
Le Heron, R. (2008) ‘Economic geography: geographic political economy’, In Editors-in-Chief Rob Kitchin and Nigel Thrift International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Elsevier, forthcoming
Le Heron, R. (2008) ‘Capitalism’, In Editors-in-Chief Rob Kitchin and Nigel Thrift International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Elsevier, forthcoming
Le Heron, R. and Lewis, N. (2007) ‘Globalising economic geography in globalising higher education’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31, 1, 5-12
Le Heron, R. (2007) ‘Globalisation, governance and post-structural political economy: perspectives from Australasia’, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 48, 1, 26-40
Le Heron, R. (2007) ‘Towards reconceptualising enterprise, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial processes for sustainable futures: contributions from economic geography’, In Gattrell, J. and Reid, N. (eds) Enterprising Worlds: A geographical perspective in economics, environment and ethics, Springer, 119-129
Larner, W. Le Heron, R and N Lewis (2007) ‘Co-constituting neoliberalism: Globalising Governmentalities and political projects in Aotearoa New Zealand’, In England, K and Ward, K (eds) Neoliberalisation: States, Networks and People, Routledge, London, 233-247
Le Heron, R. (2005) ‘Academic economic geography and sites of economic geography practice: Examples and reflections from New Zealand’, In Le Heron, R and Harrington, JW (eds) New Economic Spaces: New Economic Geographies, Ashgate, Aldershot, 277-291
Larner, W. Le Heron, R.(2005) ‘Neo-liberalising spaces and subjectivities: Reinventing New Zealand’s universities’, Organization, 12, 6, 843-862
Larner, W and Le Heron, R (2004) ‘Global benchmarking: participating ‘at a distance’ in the globalizing economy’, In Larner, W and Walters, W (eds) Global Governmentality. Governing international spaces. Routledge, London, 212-232
Larner, W. Le Heron, R. (2003) ‘The neoliberalising university? Spaces of policy, practices and performance’, New Zealand Journal of Sociology, 18, 2, 102-114
Larner, W., Le Heron, R. (2002) ‘From economic globalisation to globalising economic processes: Towards post-structural political economies’, Geoforum, 33, 4, 415-419
Larner, W. Le Heron, R. (2002) ‘The Spaces and Subjects of a Globalising Economy: A situated exploration of method’, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 20, 6, 753-774
Greenaway, A, Larner, W and Le Heron, R (2002) "Reconstituting motherhood: Milk Powder Marketing in Sri Lanka", Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 20, 6, 719-736
Recent presentations:
Le Heron, R. ‘Following the globalising organisation: towards a politics of emergence’, scheduled PowerPoint presentation to the World University Network, from the University of Sheffield, November 2007
Lewis, N. Le Heron, R. Friesen, W. and Rees, E. ‘Internationalising imaginaries in New Zealand tertiary education’, PowerPoint presentation to the BRCSS Research College via the Access Grid, May 2007
Lewis, N. Le Heron, R. Friesen, W. and Rees, E ‘Internationalising tertiary education: changing imaginaries, subjects and spaces’, PowerPoint presentation to the Association of American Geographers meeting, San Francisco, April 2007
Le Heron, R. ‘Context and capabilities and capabilities in context’, PowerPoint presentation to the ‘Hollowing out and going global: strategies for the New Zealand economy’ conference, University of Auckland, October 2006
Le Heron, R. Martin, M. and Larner, W. ‘Investing in white ware: co-constituting production and consumption relations’, PowerPoint presented at the IGU Regional meeting, Brisbane, July 2006
Le Heron, R. ‘Globalisation, governance and post-structural political economy: Perspectives from Australasia’, Paper and PowerPoint presented as the Asia Pacific Viewpoint Annual Lecture, Victoria University of Wellington, September 2005
Le Heron, R. ‘Governmentalities of sustainability in agriculture and food in Australia and New Zealand: A preliminary mapping’, PowerPoint presented at the Australasian Agri-food Network meeting, Akaroa, November 2004
Irwin, J. Le Heron, R. and Larner, W. ‘Performing the Universitas 21 alliance: presenting spatial imaginaries of globalizing universities from the University of Auckland, New Zealand’, PowerPoint presented at the Association of American Geographers conference, Philadelphia, March 2004
Le Heron, R. ‘Challenges ahead: economic geographies as governmentalities’, PowerPoint presented at the IGU Commission ‘The Dynamics of Economic Spaces’ meeting, Vancouver, August 2003
Recent workshops:
Huxley, M. Larner, W. and Le Heron, R. (co-organisers) Scheduled workshop on ‘Geography and governmentality: disciplinary debates and departures’, Co-hosted University of Bristol and University of Sheffield, November 2007
Cole, M. with assistance from Le Heron, R. and Lewis, N. ‘Situation Comedies: Remediating Difficult Situations as a Research Workshop’, University of Auckland, October 2007
Larner, W. Le Heron, R. and England, K. (co-organisers) Workshop on ‘Beyond globalization? Governmentality, spaces and subjects’, University of Washington, Seattle, May 2004
Larner, W. Le Heron, R. and du Plessis, R. (co-organisers) Residential Workshop on ‘Beyond globalization? Governmentality, spaces and subjects’, Centre for Cultural Inquiry, University of Auckland, November 2003
Larner, W. Le Heron, R. and Gibson, K. (co-organisers) Two day residential workshop on ‘Beyond globalization?: Subjectification and governmentality’, Australian National University, Canberra, November 2002
Publications nearing completion:
Lewis, N. Le Heron, R. Friesen, W. Rees, E. and Collins, F. ‘Institutional responses in globalising higher education: the example of New Zealand’s tertiary sector’
Lewis, N. Le Heron, R. Friesen, W. ‘New Zealand’s internationalising tertiary education, changing research and teaching imaginaries and new knowledge spaces’
Recent postgraduate students:
Jessie Irwin (MA)
Stephen Horsley (MA)
Russell Prince (MA)
Current postgraduate students:
Michael Cole (masters)
Nature-society relations under neoliberalism
New Zealand is regarded internationally as a major site of neoliberalising experimentation. This has led to complex lines of political engagement by government, business, community and iwi interests around the appropriation and use of biophysical processes. The research has several substantive foci: land based industries, fisheries, coastal and estuarine management and most recently the biological economy.
Current and recent projects:
‘Constituting a biological economy from co-learning within the New Zealand social sciences and science communities’, 2007 and ongoing
Funder: being sought
Co-researchers: Hugh Campbell and Richard Morgan (University of Otago), Mike Roche (Massey University), Eric Pawson (University of Canterbury) and Nick Lewis (University of Auckland), project co-ordination Peggy Tompkins, Centre for Sociology of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CSAFE), University of Otago
The project seeks to enshrine a fundamentally different approach to the conceptualisation, funding and development of the biological economy as a possible emergent entity in the New Zealand context through a new generation of dialogue and intervention involving scientists and social scientists
‘Coastal and estuarine ecosystem services: values, institutions, spaces’
Funder: NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmosphere) doctoral scholarship, 2006-2009
PhD student: Eric LaFary
Co-researcher: Simon Thrush (NIWA)
The project involves conceptual, theoretical and empirical mapping of different disciplinary and institutional practices associated with the production of knowledge relating to ecosystem services in coastal and estuarine environments, with special reference to the Auckland region, New Zealand
‘Spaces of community learning for environmental management’
Funder: Landcare doctoral scholarship, 2005-2008
PhD student: Alison Greenaway
This project examines initiatives aimed at developing co-learning practices amongst scientists and social scientists in the context of the contested institutional terrains of research, consultancy and planning in New Zealand
‘Barriers to the transfer of ecological information’
Funder: NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmosphere) doctoral scholarship, 2003-2005
PhD student: Edwin Massey
Co-researcher: Simon Thrush (NIWA)
The study constructed the institutional context of New Zealand fisheries into which ecosystem information entered and using actor network and governmentality techniques revealed how and why rigidities are present in the New Zealand fisheries management scene
‘Dairy effluent, water quality and environmental governance’
Funder: NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmosphere) doctoral scholarship, 2001-2004
PhD student: Paula Blackett
Co-researcher: John Quinn (NIWA)
The study challenged the assumptions in science made about non-point dairy pollution by undertaking linked laboratory and field studies that established the statistically significant influences on water quality and then used the information to ascertain the adequacy of environmental governance strategies involving a range of actors at the regional level in the Waikato and Taranaki dairy regions.
Recent publications:
Le Heron, R. Rees, E., Massey, E., Bruges, M. and Thrush S (2008) ‘Progressing sustainable management of marine fisheries: developing a dialogue between fisheries science and ecosystem science’, Geoforum, in press
Le Heron, R. (2008) ‘Neoliberalising economic strategies’, In Editors-in-Chief Rob Kitchin and Nigel Thrift International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Elsevier, forthcoming
Blackett, P and Le Heron, R. (2008) Maintaining the ‘clean green image’: challenges for governance of on-farm environmental practices in the New Zealand dairy industry, In Stringer, C. and Le Heron, R. (eds) Agri-Food Commodity Chains and Globalising Networks, Ashgate, Aldershot, in press
Chapman, D. Flaws, M. and Le Heron, R. (2006), ‘A Due Diligence report on New Zealand’s Educational Contribution to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 30, 2, 281-292
Publications nearing completion:
Le Heron, R. ‘A situated exploration of contemporary rural-urban interactions in Aotearoa/New Zealand’
Blackett, P. and Le Heron, R. ‘The evolution of an industry regulated environmental accord for dairy shed effluent and stream management practices on NZ dairy farms’
Recent presentations:
Le Heron, R. ‘A situated exploration of contemporary rural-urban interactions in Aotearoa/New Zealand’, Paper and PowerPoint presented to the Symposium on Rural/Urban Dynamics, University of Lancaster, January 2007
Le Heron, R. ‘Ecosystems, socio-economic processes and institutions: some scoping work in the New Zealand context’, PowerPoint presented to NIWA Workshop on ‘The effects of land-based activities on the coastal environment: issues and options’, May 2006 “Effects of Land-Based Activities
Le Heron, R. ‘Neo-liberalism, sustainability and governance’, PowerPoint presented to ‘Neoliberalism’ workshop, University of Auckland, December 2004
Le Heron, R. Rees, E. Massey, E. Bruges, M. and Thrush, S. ‘Progressing sustainable management of marine fisheries: developing a dialogue between fisheries science and ecosystem science’, Paper and PowerPoint presented to the Inaugural Environmental Economic Geography Conference, University of Cologne, May 2004
Le Heron, R. ‘Constructing relations of value in the context of a sustainable development agenda: Critical perspectives on supply chain reorganisation and development in New Zealand’, PowerPoint presented to the New Zealand Geographical Society conference, University of Auckland, July 2003
Recent postgraduate students:
Paula Blackett (PhD)
Stephen McKenzie (PhD)
Edwin Massey (PhD)
Eugene Rees (PhD)
Current postgraduate students:
Rendt Gorter (doctoral)
Kim Walshe (doctoral)
Eric LaFary (doctoral)
Raewyn Peart (doctoral)
Annie Bartos (doctoral, University of Washington, local supervisor)
Governing Auckland sustainably
In New Zealand two distinctive discourses - one relating to growth and innovation and the other relating to sustainability - have dominated the national, regional and local government policy scene. Auckland is a site where these discourses are gradually intersecting. In 2006 I had the opportunity to be involved in both a growth and innovation framework initiative, the Metropolitan Auckland Project, and a sustainability initiative, Auckland City’s Mayoral Taskforce on Sustainable Development. The overall interest is developing new institutional practices to facilitate dialogue and understanding between the discourse communities.
This portion of the webpage deals with the sustainability theme. The E4 section of the webpage summarises the growth and innovation work.
Recent projects:
‘Auckland City Mayoral Taskforce on Sustainable Development’
Participation by appointment, 2006 and ongoing
The Task Force has called on the Auckland City Council to provide leadership in five areas:
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walking the talk, the Council as exemplar
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empowering the communities in Auckland city
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caring for the environment
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facilitating economic growth and opportunities
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acting as a catalyst for change
‘Sustainable pathways for Auckland’
Funder: Foundation for Research Science and Technology, 2004-2007
Co-researchers: Garry McDonald (Market Economics Ltd), Murray Patterson (Massey University and NZCEE) and Steffen Wetzstein (University of Auckland, now Victoria University of Wellington)
This project initially focused on expert identification of the socio-economic drivers influencing Auckland’s economy. The driver information was to be used as an input into economic-ecological modelling using ARDEEM (the Auckland Region Dynamic Economic and Ecological Model). In an effort to better capture the complex political economy of Auckland the methodology was revised, to a mediated modelling approach, concentrating on four regional planning scenarios (Climate change led, Infrastructure led, Compact city led and Knowledge society led). Fifteen mini-workshops were held involving government and business sector participants in order to identify socio-economic drivers for each scenario.
Recent publications:
Auckland City Mayoral Taskforce on Sustainable Development (2007) ‘Our Auckland: Mobilising for a Sustainable Future’. Report to Mayor Dick Hubbard 18 December 2006. Released February 2007
Le Heron, R. (2006) ‘Towards governing spaces sustainably – reflections in the context of Auckland, New Zealand’, Geoforum, 37, 441-446
Chapman, D. Flaws, M. and Le Heron, R. (2006), ‘A Due Diligence report on New Zealand’s Educational Contribution to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 30, 2, 281-292
Pritchard, B. Chambers, B. Curtis, A. Le Heron, R and Spriggs, J (2003) ‘Introduction’, Pritchard, B. Curtis, A. Spriggs, J. Le Heron, R (editors) Social Dimensions of the Triple Bottom Line in Rural Australia. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Australian Government, Canberra ACT, 9-21
Hayter, R and Le Heron, R (2002) ‘Industrialisation, techno-economic paradigms and the environment’, In Hayter, R and Le Heron, R (eds) Knowledge, Industry and Environment: Innovation and Institutions in Territorial Perspective, Ashgate, Aldershot, 11-30
Recent presentations:
Le Heron, R. and Wetzstein, S. ‘Auckland’s Futures. Scenarios and socio-economic drivers’, PowerPoint feedback to participants in Sustainable Pathways for Auckland mini-workshop series April-May 2007, University of Auckland, May 2007
Le Heron, R. and McDonald, G. ‘The Sustainable Pathways for Auckland' project: A contribution to constituting Auckland as a space of governance for sustainability through socio-scientific inquiry’, PowerPoint presented to the New Zealand Centre for Ecological Economics, Palmerston North, October 2005
Le Heron, R. and McDonald, G. ‘Developing understandings of more sustainable pathways for Auckland using a Mediated Modelling Approach’, PowerPoint presented to the Auckland Regional Council, June 2005
Chapman, D. Flaws, M. and Le Heron, R. ‘Educating for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainability’, PowerPoint presented to the International Geographical Congress, Glasgow, August 2004
Publications nearing completion:
Le Heron, R. Wetzstein, S. and McDonald, G. ‘Regional policy imaginaries, scenarios and socio-economic drivers: shaping possible Auckland futures?’
Le Heron, R. and Wetzstein, S. ‘Different interests, different imaginaries, different drivers?: Private and public sector actor constructions of regional policy scenarios and socio-economic drivers for Auckland’s future’
Geography, pedagogy and co-learning
This research theme was inspired by Nigel Thrift’s call in the late 1990s for more attention to what he called non-representative or performative knowledge in geography. The idea is that in addition to codifying and representing the world geographers should consider how and under what terms they or others use their knowledge. This line of thinking has major implications for the conception and organisation of learning environments and experiences, from undergraduate to thesis supervision.
Current and recent projects:
‘Globalising economic geography: pedagogic opportunities’, 2007 and ongoing
Funding: being sought
Co-researchers: Nick Lewis (University of Auckland) and Henry Yeung (National University of Singapore)
The initiative seeks to provide fresh directions in the development of international economic geography curricula
‘Co-learning frameworks in geography’
Contribution to the International Network on Learning and Teaching in Geography, 2004-2005
Co-researchers: Richard Baker (Canberra University) and Lindsey McEwen (University of Gloucestershire)
A workshop at the University of Strathclyde in August 2004 explored the proposition that learning and teaching practices in geography have much to offer the wider academy
‘Learning styles in geography’
Contribution to the International Network on Learning and Teaching in Geography, 2001-2003
Co-researchers: Melanie Milicich and Christina Stringer (University of Auckland)
This study used the Kolb learning styles framework to provide benchmark information on learning styles in undergraduate human and physical geography courses.
Recent publications:
Le Heron, R. and Lewis, N. (2007) ‘Globalising economic geography in globalising higher education’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31, 1, 5-12
Le Heron, R. Baker, R. and McEwen, L. (2006), ‘Co-learning: Re-linking Research and Teaching in Geography’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 30, 1, 77-87
Bradbeer, J. Healey, M. and Knealey, P. with the INTL team (2004) ‘Undergraduate geographers’ understandings of geography, learning and teaching: a phenomenology study’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 28, 1, 17-34
Milicich, M. Stringer, C. Le Heron, R. (2003) ‘Learning styles of Auckland Geography students – some preliminary findings’, New Zealand Journal of Geography, 115, 49-52
Recent presentations
Le Heron, R. and Trafford, J. ‘Trans-disciplinary interactions and co-learning; Communication and experiences in postgraduate human geography research at Auckland’, PowerPoint presented at the Teaching and Learning Conference, University of Auckland, December 2006
Le Heron, R. ‘Framing questions about learning in a neo-liberalising context’, PowerPoint presented to the International Geographical Congress, Glasgow, August 2004
Le Heron, R. ‘Geography post-graduates’, PowerPoint presented to the International Geographical Congress, Glasgow, August 2004
Le Heron, R. and Wetzstein, S. ‘Between academy and policy: reflections on an experiment in research-led teaching’, PowerPoint presented to the Workshop on ‘Talking teaching, thinking learning’, Centre for Professional Development workshop, University of Auckland, November 2003
Current postgraduate students:
Julie Trafford (doctoral)
E4 – economy, enterprise, employment and environment
The notion of enterprise by design that lies behind this research thread is another approach to widening the focus from analytical and explanatory representations to a more process-centred view of how the world works and might be worked in.
Current and recent projects:
‘Creating Enterprise: Repositioning Local Economic Development’, 2007-2008
Funding: North West Ohio Centre for Regional Development
Co-researchers: John Bryson (University of Birmingham), Mike Carroll (Bowling Green State University), Paul Plummer (University of Calgary), Neil Reid (University of Toledo), Bruce Smith (Bowling Green State University), Mike Taylor (University of Birmingham) and Christine Tamasy (University of Auckland)
This book project emerged from discussions at the 2005 IGU Commission meeting at Toledo, Ohio. The book seeks to explore what happens in three regional contexts – Auckland, North West Ohio and the West Midlands – to ideas about international ideas about local economic development. It has four points of entry; the theorisation of regional economic development through empirical modelling, scrutiny of local economic policy discourses of evidence of international regional economic development theory, networking by local economic practitioners in the course of undertaking local economic development projects and project-based policy experiences.
‘Metropolitan Auckland Project Background Team’
Participation by invitation, 2005-2006
This project was designed to facilitate the production of an action plan for AREDS, the Auckland Regional Economic Development Strategy, co-ordinated by the Auckland Regional Council. The background team prepared briefing documents for an International Review Panel that was brought to the Auckland region by funding from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
Recent publications:
Le Heron, R. and McDermott, P. (2008) Auckland’s Metro project: A metropolitan governance strategy for regional economic development? In Tamasy, C. and Taylor, M. (eds) Globalising Worlds: Geographical Perspectives on New Economic Configurations, Ashgate, Aldershot, forthcoming
Tamasy, C. and Le Heron, R. (2007) ‘The geography of firm formations in New Zealand’, Tidjschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, in press
Le Heron, R. and McDermott, P. (2006) Productivity Issues in the Regional Economy: A Framework for Auckland’s Economic Development. Report to the Metropolitan Auckland Project team, Auckland Regional Council, March
Tamásy, C.; Le Heron, R. (2005) ‘Territoriality of Entrepreneurship Dynamics in New Zealand’, In: Proceedings of the International Research Conference Creating an Entrepreneurial Nation: The Role of Enterprise and Innovation (CD-ROM), 7-8 July 2005. Hamilton, New Zealand: The University of Waikato.
Pawson, E. and Le Heron, R. (2005) ‘Remaking contemporary economic landscapes’ In Rowe, J. (ed) Economic Development: the New Zealand Experience, Ashgate, Aldershot, 15-29
Wetzstein, S. and Le Heron, R. (2003) ‘A research project as narrative: The making of a ‘Creative Auckland’ story’, Proceedings 22nd New Zealand Geographical Society Conference, New Zealand Geographical Society, Auckland, 160-163
Recent presentations:
Le Heron, R. Carroll, M. and Reid, N. ‘Creating enterprise: the role of case studies’, Scheduled PowerPoint presentation at the North American Regional Science conference, Savannah, November 2007
Bryson, J. and Le Heron, R. ‘Policy as project and product: Project teams and local economic development’, PowerPoint presented at the Institute of British Geographers conference, London, August 2007
Le Heron, R. and Tamasy, C. ‘Theories of local economic development in policy discourses in Auckland, NZ: approaching the empirical - contextual and conceptual issues’, PowerPoint presented at the Institute of British Geographers conference, London, August 2007
Tamasy, C. and Le Heron, R. ‘Territoriality of entrepreneurship dynamics in New Zealand’, Paper presented at the Innovation and Enterprise conference, University of Waikato, Hamilton, July 2005
Le Heron, R. ‘Globalising Auckland: Finance and new landscapes of consumption’, Paper and PowerPoint presented to the Winter Lecture Series, University of Auckland, July 2004
Le Heron, R. ‘Working knowledge?’, Panel contribution to The Knowledge Society, New Zealand Sociology Conference, Auckland University of Technology, December 2003
Le Heron, R. ‘ICT, institutional innovation and ‘new economy’ regions: issues and policy in the New Zealand context’, Paper and PowerPoint presented to the joint meeting of the IGU Commission on ‘The Dynamics of Economic Spaces’ and IGU Commission on ‘Technological Change’, Incheon, Korea, March 2003
Le Heron, R and Wetzstein, S. ‘Broad indicators of Auckland as a creative city’, Address to seminar on ‘Developing Auckland as a Creative City’, Paper and PowerPoint presented to the Auckland City Workshop supporting the Knowledge Wave Conference, Auckland, February 2003
Publications nearing completion:
Fairgray, S. Le Heron, R. Tamasy, T. ‘Auckland’s positioning in the Australasian economy: a firm-level approach to globalising networks’
Wetzstein, S. and Le Heron, R. ‘Geographic imaginaries, political projects and institutional arrangements: constituting regional economic development policy, Auckland, New Zealand’
Recent postgraduate students:
Susan Fairgray (MSc)
Steffen Wetzstein (PhD)
Recent and current postgraduate supervision
The economic geography programme in the School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science at the University of Auckland has attracted students of high calibre from a wide range of backgrounds and interests. Postgraduate research students are often associated with several research areas. The following summary gives brief details for each student – thesis title, funding, awards and employment history since graduation.
Current postgraduate supervision:
Beverley Trowbridge (doctoral) (Co-supervisor Nick Lewis SGGES)
Subjectivities and socialities of sustainable development: The example of organic dairying in New Zealand
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
Julie Trafford (doctoral)
Postgraduate research and the employment and creation of geographies and geographers
Rendt Gorter (doctoral) (Co-supervisor Nick Lewis SGGES)
Conflict and collaboration in natural resource management and environmental governance
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
Pippa Mitchell (doctoral) (co-supervisor Pip Forer SGGES)
Technology, infrastructure and timespace: Exploring emerging connectivity in Auckland
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
Stanley Brunn Student Award for best paper in the Communication Geography Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers conference, San Francisco, 2007
BRCSS Doctoral Award 2007
Brett Christophers (doctoral) (2nd supervisor)
Television’s economic geographies: the UK and New Zealand
Commonwealth Scholar
Alison Greenaway (doctoral) (Co-supervisor Nick Lewis SGGES)
Spaces of community learning for environmental management
Landcare Doctoral Scholarship
Kim Walshe (doctoral)
Governing recreational fishing under neoliberalism: the Auckland regional recreational fishery
Jill Thomson (doctoral)
Taking power in a crisis: Regulation and governance in New Zealand’s domestic energy sector
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
Eric LaFary (doctoral)
Coastal and estuarine ecosystem services: values, institutions, spaces
NIWA Doctoral Scholarship
Education New Zealand, New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships
Raewyn Peart (doctoral) (Co-supervisor Nick Lewis SGGES)
Interagency cooperation in marine biodiversity conservation
Richard Donnelly (doctoral)
Strategies for resolving risk encounters in the context of managing a large technical system: the Watercare example
Toni White (doctoral)
Feed strategy development in the context of environmental governance
AgResearch Doctoral Scholarship
Recent postgraduate supervision:
Steffen Wetzstein PhD 2007
Changing governance for a globalising Auckland? Policy discourses, institutions and relationships
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
BRCSS Doctoral Award 2006
Lecturer, School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
Asra Hewitt BSc Hons 2006
Making Space for Geographic Knowledges: A Preliminary Investigation of Urban Growth Models Used in the Auckland Region
Lawyer, Melbourne
Michael Cole BAHons 2006
Difficult situations: The emergence of post-structural discourses in Auckland universities
Masters student, University of Auckland
Edwin Massey PhD 2006
Confronting barriers to ecological information transfer in New Zealand’s fisheries management system
NIWA Doctoral Scholarship
Senior policy analyst, Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington
Eugene Rees PhD 2006 (2nd supervisor)
In what sense a fisheries problem? Negotiating sustainable growth in New Zealand fisheries
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
New Zealand Geographical Society’s President’s Award 2007 for Best Doctoral Thesis
Socio-economic analyst, Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington
Susan Fairgray MSc 2006 (Co-supervisor Christine Tamasy SGGES)
Auckland’s role in the Australasian economy: implications for regional economic development strategies
Economic policy analyst, Auckland City Council
Murray Bruges BSc Hons 2004
The potential for Ecosystem-based management of New Zealand's Fisheries
Policy analyst, Franklin District Council; Policy analyst, Ministry of Fisheries, Auckland
Kristy Hall MSc 2004
Bioprospecting... or biopiracy? Access to biological diversity and benefit sharing in the New Zealand context
URS New Zealand
Paula Blackett PhD 2004
Biophysical and institutional challenges to management of dairy shed effluent and stream management practices on NZ dairy farms
NIWA Doctoral Scholarship
Best paper award New Zealand Limnology conference 2003
Highly commended paper award New Zealand Geographical Society conference 2003
Scientist, NIWA, Hamilton; Social scientist, AgResearch, Hamilton
Russell Prince MA 2004
Catching the Knowledge Wave’ in New Zealand: The constitution of the global knowledge economy and the production of space
University of Auckland Graduate Scholarship
Foulls Prize, Faculty of Arts, University of Auckland
PhD student in Geography, University of Bristol
Guy Penny PhD 2003
Supply chain (re)alignment in New Zealand’s sheep meat and dairy industries: Knowledge, networks and learning at the farmer-processor site
AgResearch Doctoral Scholarship
Social scientist, NIWA, Auckland; Principal Researcher, Aranovus, Auckland
Radha D’Souza PhD 2003 (Co-supervisor Jane Kelsey, Law)
Contextualising Interstate Disputes Over Krishna Waters: Law, Science and the Transition From Colonialism to Neo-Colonialism
University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Waikato; Reader in Law, University of New Westminster
Stephen Horsley MSc 2003
Networks of Resistance: Aotearoa Indymedia as Governmentality
Policy analyst, Auckland Regional Council
Iain McAuley PhD 2003
The restructuring of the electricity sector in New Zealand, 1986-2002: Whither energy sustainability
Policy adviser, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Office, Wellington; Senior Advisor, Ministry of Transport, Wellington
International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on ‘The Dynamics of Economic Spaces’
Commission’s Website: http://www.sges.auckland.ac.nz/conferences/igu_commission/
The Commission’s Mission is:
To extend international research and scholarship in economic geography through
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the development and dissemination of critical theoretical, conceptual and methodological frameworks
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the conduct of rigorous empirical and policy analyses
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and the building of research capacity in economic geography in different national and institutional contexts
To promote international collaboration in research activity and the dissemination of research findings
To facilitate knowledge transfer about economic geography and associated policy-related issues between countries and institutions
Forthcoming meetings in 2008 (more detailed information is available on the Commission’s website – see above):
Mini-meeting in Oslo, Norway 14-15 May 2008
Theme: Theoretical approaches in labour geographies
Local organiser: Dr Hege Merete Knutsen and Dr Sylvi B. Endresen, Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Further information can be found at:http://www.iss.uio.no/english/conference/index.html
Email: h.m.knutsen@sgeo.uio.no
Main Commission meeting, Barcelona, Spain, 5-8 August 2008
Theme: Worlds of new work? Multi-scalar dynamics of new economy spaces
Local organiser: Dr Montserrat Pallares-Barbera, Department of Geography, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Email: Montserrat.Pallares@uab.cat
The 31st International Geographical Congress, Tunis, Tunisia, 12-15 August 2008
Theme: Building together our territories!
Information about the Congress is available from http://www.homeofgeography.org/ and clicking on Tunis 2008
Courses profiles – new directions
GEOG 738 Special Topic (First Semester 2008)
Co-taught: Richard Le Heron and Nick Lewis
Future food and biological economies
The course will give an overview of contemporary understandings, issues and strategies relating to the development of biological economies and food networks in the context of the globalising food economy. It will address questions of 'sustainable' food production and consumption and 'resilient' environments from the perspective of nature-society relationships.
The course has no prerequisites. Students are welcome from the wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds in the social sciences and sciences.
GEOG 711 (Second Semester 2008)
This course is under review and information on its new scope will appear early in 2008
GEOG 302 Regions, Industries and Enterprises (First Semester 2008)
Coordinator: Richard Le Heron
Co-taught: Richard Le Heron and David Hayward
In 2008 this course will have the subtitle ‘Globalisation and local economic development’
BRCSS (Building Research Capabilities in the Social Sciences)
BRCSS is a research-centred network funded by New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Commission and was formed to support and enhance the research experience especially of social science post-graduate thesis students and emerging researchers. BRCSS consists of a collaborative of researchers associated with over 40 social science research projects funded by the Foundation of Research Science and Technology, the Marsden Fund and the Health Research Fund. BRCSS is developing capability initiatives that take trans-disciplinarity seriously through drawing on disciplinary expertise in New Zealand and from abroad. These initiatives seek to heighten interaction and communication amongst researchers and establish durable networks for the transfer of knowledge, across institutions, social groupings, generations and space.
Many initiatives have developed around the use of the Access Grid, which enables participants in each of New Zealand’s universities to meet using multi-cast technology. A second major thread is the use of workshops to explore methodological issues that spring from dialogue across the disciplines. Momentum for these initiatives has come in part from overseas visitors funded by BRCSS.
For more information go to: www.brcss.net
Some highlights of BRCSS activities involving overseas visitors:
Professor Jamie Peck, Geography and Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
December 2004
Postgraduate student workshop: After Neoliberalism? New Forms of Governance in Aotearoa New Zealand
Dr James McCarthy, Penn State University, Pennsylvania, USA
July 2005
Public lecture: Just capitalist environments? Contemporary debates in political ecology
Post-graduate workshop: The difference different questions make - getting inside political ecology research
BRCSS-Te Rarawa Workshop: Sustainable communities in sustainable environments: Political ecology perspectives, action research and whanau development
Dr Katharine Rankin, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
May 2006
Public lecture: Politics of subversion in development practice: Microfinance in Nepal and Vietnam
Postgraduate student workshop: Transdisciplinarity and doing research in the post-colonial field
Access Grid Seminar: Social capital, development planning and post-colonialism
Professor Henry Yeung, Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore
September 2006
Access Grid Seminar: Researching hybridity: the case of ‘Chinese’ business networks
Dr Jenny Cameron, Department of Planning, Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane
September 2007
Access Grid Seminar: Demystifying Academic Writing (co-presenter Dr Jane Higgins, Lincoln University)
Postgraduate student workshop: A politics of hope and possibility
Public lecture: From problem-solving to performativity, expertise to experimentation: researching poverty and marginalisation
Professor Pauline McGuirk, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies,
School of Environmental and Life Studies, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
September 2007
Public lecture: Planning Metropolitan Sydney: Back to the Future?
Access Grid Seminar: Developing a new urban research agenda: Australasian perspectives
