Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Tel: (+64) 3 479 9243
Email:james.hale@otago.ac.nz
James Hale is a sociologist from Colorado. His work wrestles with the interconnections between people and the environment, food, and agriculture, and the practices and values groups use to understand and improve such relationships. James has spent time in both practitioner and research environments including working as a Peace Corps agroforestry agent in Malawi, helping spearhead alternative food projects throughout the US Rocky Mountain Region, and leading related research projects at Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Public Health. Before arriving in New Zealand, James was primarily studying alternative food and agriculture networks such as cooperatives and urban farming initiatives. As part of the New Zealand Sustainability Dashboard team, he is currently examining NZ food and agriculture through the lens of social sustainability.
To learn more about James' research, please visit www.jameswthale.com
Research Projects
The New Zealand Sustainability Dashboard (ARGOS)
Significant Publications
Hale, J. & Carolan, M. (2018) Framing cooperative development: The bridging role of cultural and symbolic value between human and material resources. Community Development, DOI: 10.1080/15575330.2018.1491614
Hale, J. & Carolan, M. (2018) Cooperative or uncooperative cooperatives?: Digging into the process of cooperation in food and agriculture cooperatives. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 8(1), 1-20.
Carolan, M., & Hale, J. W. (2016). “Growing” Communities with Urban Agriculture: Generating value above and below groud. Community Development, 47(4), 530–545.
McIvor, D. W., & Hale, J. (2015). Urban agriculture and the prospects for deep democracy. Agriculture and Human Values, 32(4), 727–741.
Litt, J. S., Schmiege, S. J., Hale, J. W., Buchenau, M., & Sancar, F. (2015). Exploring ecological, emotional and social levers of self-rated health for urban gardeners and non-gardeners: A path analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 144, 1–8.
Hale, J., Knapp, C., Bardwell, L., Buchenau, M., Marshall, J., Sancar, F., & Litt, J. S. (2011). Connecting food environments and health through the relational nature of aesthetics: gaining insight through the community gardening experience. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 72(11), 1853–63.
Litt, J. S., Soobader, M.-J., Turbin, M. S., Hale, J. W., Buchenau, M., & Marshall, J. a. (2011). The influence of social involvement, neighborhood aesthetics, and community garden participation on fruit and vegetable consumption. American Journal of Public Health, 101(8), 1466–73.