Associate Professor Jessica Weir

Associate Professor Jessica Weir

Associate Professor, Senior Research Fellow,
Institute for Culture and Society

Biography

Jessica K Weir (PhD) is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Culture and Society, who investigates human-environment relations, expert evidence, justice and public sector governance, building on 20 years of public/private/community sector work. Her research practice seeks to resituate humans within their environments and more-than-humans within cultural and ethical domains, including investigating the use and utility of expert knowledge about facts and values. Her internationally recognised book Murray River Country (Aboriginal Studies Press, 2009) demonstrates how greater reflexivity matched with material action can lead to more just outcomes for people and nature. Jessica's research practice is fundamentally informed by over two decades of collaboration with Indigenous peoples, especially in southeast and western Australia. She seeks to work as an ally within a decolonial ethic. With the support of her research collaborators, she examines how diverse knowledge practices interact to circumscribe and transform public sector and societal understandings of topical issues, including climate change, fresh water, natural hazards, academic knowledge, and evidence-based policy and practice. Her research is in dialogue with human geography, Indigenous studies, decolonial studies, the environmental humanities, and science and technology studies. Jessica recently lead two projects funded by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC). She is also an editorial board member of the Routledge Environmental Humanities Book Series, and a Visiting Fellow at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University. Jessica has held positions as Research Fellow at the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), where she worked for ten years in the Native Title Research Unit, and as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Canberra.

This information has been contributed by Associate Professor Weir.

Qualifications

  • PhD The Australian National University

Organisational Unit (School / Division)

  • Institute for Culture and Society

Contact

Email: J.Weir@westernsydney.edu.au
Phone:
Mobile:
Location: EM.G.05
Parramatta

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Publications

Books

  • Weir, J. (2009), 'The Gunditjmara Land Justice Story', : Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 9780855754396.
  • Weir, J. (2009), 'Murray River Country: an Ecological Dialogue with Traditional Owners', : Aboriginal Studies Press 9780855756789.

Chapters in Books

  • Weir, J., Sutton, S. and Catt, G. (2020), 'The theory/practice of disaster justice : learning from Indigenous peoples' fire management', Natural Hazards and Disaster Justice: Challenges for Australia and Its Neighbours, Palgrave Macmillan 9789811504655.
  • Williamson, B., Weir, J. and Cavanagh, V. (2020), 'Aboriginal people find strength despite perpetual grief', Continent Aflame: Responses to an Australian Catastrophe, Palaver 9780648855101.
  • Weir, J. (2016), 'Hope and farce : indigenous peoples' water reforms during the Millennium Drought', Unstable Relations: Indigenous People and Environmentalism in Contemporary Australia, UWA Publishing 9781742588780.
  • Tran, T., Weir, J., Strelein, L. and Stacey, C. (2015), 'Indigenous governance and climate change adaptation : two native title case studies from Australia', Applied Studies in Climate Adaptation, Wiley-Blackwell 9781118845011.
  • Weir, J. (2015), 'Lives in connection', Manifesto for Living in the Anthropocene, punctum books 9780988234062.
  • Weir, J. (2013), 'Karajarri : native title and governance in the West Kimberley', Living with Native Title: the Experiences of Registered Native Title Corporations, AIATSIS Research Publications 9781922102201.
  • Bauman, T., Strelein, L. and Weir, J. (2013), 'Navigating complexity : living with native title', Living with Native Title: the Experiences of Registered Native Title Corporations, AIATSIS Research Publications 9781922102201.
  • Weir, J., Stone, J. and Mulardy, M. (2012), 'Water Planning and Native Title : a Karajarri and government engagement in the West Kimberley', Country: Native Title and Ecology, ANU Press 9781921862557.
  • Weir, J. (2012), 'Country, native title and ecology', Country, Native Title and Ecology, ANU Press 9781921862557.
  • Weir, J. (2011), 'Water planning and dispossession', Basin futures: Water Reform in the Murray-Darling Basin, ANU Press 9781921862243.
  • Strelein, L. and Weir, J. (2009), 'Conservation and human rights in the context of native title in Australia', Rights-based Approaches: Exploring Issues and Opportunities for Conservation, Centre for International Forestry Research 9789791412896.
  • Weir, J. (2007), 'The traditional owner experience along the Murray River', Fresh Water: New Perspectives on Water in Australia, Melbourne University Press 9780522854244.
  • Weir, J. and Ross, S. (2007), 'Beyond native title : Murray Lower Darling Rivers indigenous nations', The Social Effects of Native Title: Recognition, Translation, Coexistence, Australian National University E Press 9781921313516.
  • Morgan, M., Strelein, L. and Weir, J. (2006), 'Authority, knowledge and values : indigenous nations engagement in the management of natural resources in the Murray-Darling Basin', Settling with Indigenous People: Modern Treaty and Agreement-Making, Federation Press 9781862876187.

Journal Articles

  • Weir, J. (2023), 'Expert knowledge, collaborative concepts, and universal nature: naming the place of Indigenous knowledge within a public-sector cultural burning program', Ecology and Society, vol 28, no 1 .
  • Weir, J., Neale, T. and Clarke, L. (2022), 'The recalibration of our relationships with science (and nature) by natural hazard risk mitigation practitioners', Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, vol 5, no 3 , pp 1654 - 1677.
  • Smith, W., Neale, T. and Weir, J. (2021), 'Persuasion without policies : the work of reviving Indigenous peoples' fire management in southern Australia', Geoforum, vol 120 , pp 82 - 92.
  • Freeman, D., Williamson, B. and Weir, J. (2021), 'Cultural burning and public sector practice in the Australian Capital Territory', Australian Geographer, vol 52, no 2 , pp 111 - 129.
  • Weir, J. (2021), 'Terrain : de/centring environmental management with Indigenous peoples' leadership', Borderlands, vol 20, no 1 , pp 171 - 206.
  • Williamson, B. and Weir, J. (2021), 'Indigenous peoples and natural hazard research, policy and practice in southern temperate Australia : an agenda for change', Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol 36, no 4 , pp 62 - 67.
  • Harriden, K., Weir, J. and Cunio, K. (2020), 'Climate grief, expert evidence, and academic practice', Transform, vol 5 , pp 13 - 26.
  • Williamson, B., Markham, F. and Weir, J. (2020), 'Aboriginal peoples and the response to the 2019-2020 bushfires', CAEPR Working Paper, vol 134/2020 , pp 1 - 21.
  • Thomassin, A., Neale, T. and Weir, J. (2019), 'The natural hazard sector's engagement with Indigenous peoples : a critical review of CANZUS countries', Geographical Research, vol 57, no 2 , pp 164 - 177.
  • Weir, J., Woelfle-Erskine, C., Fuller, S., Diver, S. and Higgins, M. (2019), 'Investigating best practice : doctoral fieldwork experiences with and without Indigenous communities in settler-colonial societies', ACME, vol 18, no 6 , pp 1300 - 1320.
  • Weir, J. and Duff, N. (2017), 'Who is looking after country? : interpreting and attributing land management responsibilities on native title lands', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol 76, no 4 , pp 426 - 442.
  • Neale, T., Weir, J. and McGee, T. (2016), 'Knowing wildfire risk : scientific interactions with risk mitigation policy and practice in Victoria, Australia', Geoforum, vol 72 , pp 16 - 25.
  • Neale, T., Weir, J. and Dovers, S. (2016), 'Science in motion : integrating scientific knowledge into bushfire risk mitigation in southwest Victoria', Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol 31, no 2 , pp 13 - 17.
  • Neale, T. and Weir, J. (2015), 'Navigating scientific uncertainty in wildfire and flood risk mitigation : a qualitative review', International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, vol 13 , pp 255 - 265.
  • McLennan, B., Weir, J., Eburn, M., Handmer, J., Dovers, S. and Norman, B. (2014), 'Negotiating risk and responsibility through law, policy and planning', Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol 29, no 3 , pp 22 - 28.
  • Weir, J., Crew, D. and Crew, J. (2013), 'Wetland forest culture : Indigenous activity for management change in the Southern Riverina, New South Wales', Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, vol 20, no 3 , pp 193 - 207.
  • Weir, J. (2008), 'Connectivity', Australian Humanities Review, vol 45 , pp 153 - 164.

Conference Papers

  • Weir, J., Neale, T. and Clarke, L. (2017), 'Science is critical but it's not everything : our findings', Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC and AFAC. Conference, Sydney, N.S.W..
  • Weir, J. (2013), 'Fire authorities and planners : reducing risk across diverse landscapes', Bushfire CRC & AFAC Conference Research Forum, Melbourne, Vic..

Other Publications

  • 2021, 'Hazards, Culture and Indigenous Communities: Final Project Report', Report
  • 2021, 'At Risk in the Climate Crisis Podcast Series', Recorded Work
  • 2020, 'Pass the Ball', Published Work
  • 2020, 'Extraction Zombies', Published Work
  • 2020, 'Indigenous Land', Published Work
  • 2020, 'The S.S. Academy', Published Work
  • 2020, 'Hazards, Culture and Indigenous Communities: Socio-institutional Modules for Utilisation', Report
  • 2019, 'Fire in the South: A Cross-Continential Exchange', Report
  • 2019, 'Scientific Diversity, Scientific Uncertainty and Risk Mitigation Policy & Planning: Final Report', Report
  • 2018, 'South East Australia Aboriginal Fire Forum: An Independent Research Report', Report
  • 2013, 'Changes to Country and Culture, Changes to Climate: Strengthening Institutions for Indigenous Resilience and Adaptation: Final Report', Report
  • 2013, 'Weeds and Native Title: Law and Assumption', Report
  • 2013, 'Cultural Water and the Edward/Kolety and Wakool River System', Report
  • 2011, 'The Benefits Associated with Caring for Country: Literature Review', Report
  • 2009, 'Our Understandings of Water and How they Translate into our Decision Making', Report

Previous Projects

Title: Scientific Diversity, Scientific Uncertainty and Risk Mitigation Policy and Planning
Funder:
  • Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre
Western Researchers: Jessica Weir
Years: 2014-01-01 - 2022-06-30
ID: P00021969
Title: Cultural hazards: knowledge, practice and risk management with Aboriginal communities in southern Australia
Funder:
  • Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre
Western Researchers: Jessica Weir
Years: 2017-07-01 - 2021-06-30
ID: P00024038
Title: Aboriginal relief and recovery - Inquiry into Victoria's Bushfires 2019-2020
Funder:
  • Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre
Western Researchers: Jessica Weir
Years: 2021-03-01 - 2021-06-30
ID: P00027381

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