Garry Marvin

Background

Professor Garry Marvin (University of Roehampton) is a social anthropologist with a particular interest in how different cultures conceive of, experience, and interact with the natural world and especially in the context of conservation and where issues of conservation are contested. He is also interested in local ecological and environmental knowledge and how that might be incorporated into schemes to promote an awareness of, and engagement with, cultural heritage.

Role

Garry Marvin will be responsible for directing the anthropological aspects of the project. This will consist of an initial cultural survey of the maritime cultures along the East African coast. It will be followed with four discrete ethnographic studies of the cultures of fishing communities in the countries involved. The aim of each of these will be to explore the particular maritime aspects of the communities, how local people understand their past and relate to it in the present and to explore with them what aspects of their cultures they might be interested in building on in terms of a sustainable tourist offering.