Dr Kiah Smith

Kiah Smith is a Sociologist with expertise in environment, development and food studies. With a strong record of international publications on food justice, food security, resilience, financialisation, ethical trade, green economy, sustainable livelihoods, gender empowerment and food system governance, Kiah’s work contributes new understandings of the social dimensions of food system transformation at the intersection of multiple crises. Through qualitative participatory methodologies, her research places particular emphasis on the role that civil society plays in transformative policy making that is systems-focused and more inclusive of diverse perspectives.

Kiah's ARC DECRA study Fair Food, Civil Society and the Sustainable Development Goals explored how civic stakeholders can resist, reshape or redefine a just and sustainable food system n extensive collaboration with participants from academia, civil society, local government and grassroots food systems (food hubs, community gardens, and food charities) in Australia and internationally. 

At CPF, Kiah leads the Social Justice, Rights and Empowerment research theme, reinforcing the Centre’s capacity for research as social action, non-traditional research translation and impact, and policy engagement with the SDGs.