Dr. Ian Feinhandler
Assistant Professor
ian.feinhandler@sonoma.edu
707-664-2195
Areas of Specialization
- Political Geography
- Geopolitics
- Globalization and Democratization
- Political Ecology
- South Asia
Educational Background
- Ph.D.— Geography, University of Colorado, 2006
- M.A.— Geography, University of Colorado, 2003
- M.A.— Religious Studies, University of Colorado, 1995
Courses
- Geog 203: Cultural Geography
- Geog 320: Geopolitics
- Geog 345: Resource Wars
- Geog 393: Geography of South Asia
Recent Papers
Feinhandler, I. 2007. The Electoral Geography of the BJP: Hindu Nationalism and Neoliberal Economics in the 2004 Indian Parliamentary Election. Association of American Geographers Conference, San Francisco, CA, April 2007
Feinhandler, I. 2006. Inequality and Ethno-Nationalism in the Developing World. International Affairs Club, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 2006 (Invited)
Feinhandler, I. 2006. Contemporary Geopolitics: Russia Resurgent, Venezuelan Petro-Politics, and the Iranian Nuclear Gambit. International Affairs Club, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 2006 (Invited)
Feinhandler, I. 2005. Hills and Plains: the Role of Context in the Electoral Geography of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 1991 Lok Sabha Election in Uttar Pradesh, India. Association of American Geographers Conference, Denver, CO, 2005
Feinhandler, I. 2005. Inequality and Neoliberal Economics in India: Initial Findings from the 2004 Lok Sabha Election. Political Geography Pre-Conference, Boulder, CO, 2005
Feinhandler, I. 2004. The Rise of Hindu Nationalism and the Myth of Secular India: a Geopolitical Analysis. Political Geography Pre-Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2004
Feinhandler, I. 2003. The Geopolitics of Oil. Conference on World Affairs, Boulder, CO, 2003
Feinhandler, I. 2001. Uneven Development and the Maoist Rebellion in Nepal. Nehru Foundation for Development Conference on Sustainable Livelihoods, New Delhi, India, 2001
Feinhandler, I. 2001. Dust in the Himalaya: Assessing the Water-Sustainability of Tourism Development in Ladakh. Globalization and Democracy Conference, Boulder, CO, 2001
In My Own Words
My research focuses on democracy in South Asia, and on political and social movements that challenge the stability of the state. In my dissertation I examined class, caste, religion, and geographic location as key factors shaping support for the Hindu nationalist movement in India. I have also conducted research on the links between access to water, sustainable livelihoods, and support for Maoist rebellions in both India and Nepal.
In all my research, I find that the process of economic globalization has changed the degree to which people either identify with the state, or with various non-state organizations. By "non-state" organizations I mean national movements of secession, ethno-religious movements, transnational business communities, as well as local and transnational terrorist organizations. In future research I will be examining further the factors associated with support for armed rebellion in India and Nepal.
In addition to conducting academic research in developing countries, I have extensive experience in international development. I worked on grassroots development projects in India and Nepal, and while working for an energy company, managed large development projects in Ecuador and Angola. I also conducted research on the environmental impact and the human rights abuses associated with the construction of a major natural gas pipeline in South East Asia. I have a continued interest in the energy industry and its impact on local political, social and economic processes