MSU faculty member discusses COVID-19, the environment and moving forward

MSU faculty member discusses COVID-19, the environment and moving forward

by Sam Kealhofer, Intern on the A&S Research Support Team

David M. Hoffman, associate professor in Mississippi State University’s Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures, participated in a Facebook Live event, “Is the Pandemic Good for the Environment?” on May 7th with Julia Osman, director of MSU’s Institute for Humanities. The discussion covered various effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the environment, consumption rates, business trends, inequality and other issues.

Hoffman did not provide a definite answer as to whether the pandemic is good for the environment, rather, he discussed how the pandemic has forced many to reevaluate global and local modes of consumption and said this trend could lead to a more environmentally-conscious future.

Hoffman’s research focuses on issues of environmental anthropology and lends insight into policy decisions that can strike a balance between economic recovery and conservation efforts. His research in Central America and the U.S. Gulf Coast focuses on natural resource management, conservation policy, political ecology and sustainable development.

His most recent publication is a book chapter entitled “A Fractured Mirror: Migration to National Park Buffer Zones as a Reflection of the Ecolaboratory” in the book from the University of Arizona Press, “The Ecolaboratory: Environmental Governance and Economic Development in Costa Rica,” which gathers research from around the globe about Costa Rica’s complicated history of balancing pro-environmental policies with economic development.

In the future, Hoffman plans to research how the pandemic has affected local fisheries along the Gulf Coast. Hoffman said the realities fisheries have faced over the years, such as hurricanes and oil spills among others, combined with  the pandemic, have led to a greater economic downturn.

In an effort to contribute insight and solutions to the various challenges facing the nation, the College of Arts & Sciences will continue to highlight faculty research in our "Research In The Headlines" series each Monday and Wednesday. For more research in the headlines, visit https://www.cas.msstate.edu/research/researchintheheadlines/; and for information about the College of Arts & Sciences or the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures  visit www.cas.msstate.edu or https://www.amec.msstate.edu/.