Guardians of Odisha's Forests

Professor Neera Singh, a geographer at the University of Toronto, has long studied forest commons in India as part of her research into conservation, “development,” and the governance of natural systems. One of her key findings is that the “affective labor” of commoners produces healthier, more resilient forests than corporate or bureaucratic state management. A key challenge is how to honor the power of affective stewardship in a world dominated by state and corporate power.