Dr Judith Bovensiepen, a Reader in Social Anthropology in the School of Anthropology and Conservation (SAC) has been awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize from the Leverhulme Trust.
The Philip Leverhulme Prize recognises the achievement of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising. Dr Bovensiepen is one of only five researchers awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize this year in the Sociology and Social Policy category.
Dr Bovensiepen’s research explores the politics and history of oil and gas development in Timor-Leste, Southeast Asia. Many extractive companies present themselves as key drivers behind the global quest to end climate change and implement sustainable development, but they still continue to forecast growth that would lead to exceeding this goal and make heavy financial investments into lobbying against climate change policies. Dr Bovensiepen’s research investigates these conflicting actions through an in-depth historical and ethnographic study of oil and gas development in the Timor-Leste region.
To advance her research, Dr Bovensiepen will receive £100,000 from the Leverhulme Trust, which can be used over two or three years.
Dr Bovensiepen said: ‘I am delighted to have been awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize and to have been recognised for my research in social anthropology. This award will enable me to carry out further archival research on the history of oil-development in Timor-Leste, examining the continuities and ruptures with contemporary forms of wilful blindness. My goal is to produce a radically new theoretical framework for studying how corporations sideline problematic knowledge – a topic that has relevance well beyond the reach of Timor-Leste.’