Dr David Nally
BA (University College, Cork), PhD(British Columbia)
Fellow
Subject: Human Geography
Department: Geography
Role:
Director of Studies, Geography
Email: dpn24@cam.ac.uk
Phone: (+44 1223 7) 68460
Profile
My research focuses on the political, economic and cultural dimensions of colonisation, with a particular interest in comparative histories of subsistence crises from the early modern period to the present. My monograph, Human Encumbrances: Political Violence and the Great Irish Famine (University of Notre Dame Press, 2011), is the first book-length study to apply the critical perspectives of famine theory and postcolonial studies to the causes and history of the Great Irish Famine.
My interest in the comparative study of food crises informs my current work on the agro-biotechnologies and political economy of agrarian change. As much as possible I try to participate in public forums and media debates on these important topics. For instance, in collaboration with my colleague Professor Gerry Kearns, I recently published an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education on the geopolitics and history of subsistence crises, with a particular focus on the famine in East Africa; and at Cambridge's Festival of Ideas (2011), I took part in an extended debate on the future of GM crops. A longer description of my research interests and publications can be found on the Department of Geography’s webpage.
At the undergraduate level I have taught on geopolitics, historical geography of globalisation, the politics of hunger, and skills and methods. In addition to my teaching contributions to the Department I take a full role in Directing Studies at Fitzwilliam College.