Jean Wencélius

Dr. Jean Wencélius is an environmental anthropologist studying the socio-ecological feedbacks of the complex Polynesian island ecosystems. He envisions such socio-ecosystems in their broadest definition: complex systems holistically encompassing the interactions between humans – along with their social organization and cultural values – and non-humans. At the crossroads of life and human sciences, his work combines i) qualitative approaches grounded on a fine-tuned ethnography of primary users’ practices, strategies and knowledge systems along with ii) quantitative approaches driven by cutting-edge citizen- and participatory-science led data collection protocols. In addition to better understanding the feedbacks between Polynesian cultures and environments, he endeavors to analyze the socio-political dynamics at play in the implementation of environmental management policies and more specifically to understand how local stakeholders involved in resource management and governance (e.g., resource managers, scientists, fishers) receive, repurpose and/or claim ownership over such policies.  

Jean Wencélius has been working in French Polynesia since 2018. In 2023 he joins CRIOBE (UAR 3278) as a Junior Professor. Collaborating with marine scientists and local stakeholders he strives to create bridges between local and scientific expertise in order to co-produce innovative tools for community-based marine management resources and to co-design hybrid resource management regimes that may address the expectations of local communities, political decision-makers and scientists.