Magdalena Kuchler

 

Background and research interests

I hold MA in International Relations and MS in Water Resources & Livelihood Security. My research interests are focused on the international politics of bioenergy, food policy, energy demand and institutional dimensions of environmental problems. In my analytical work I combine two philosophical traditions as my theoretical lense: post-structuralism (Nietzsche, Foucault, Derrida, Mouffe) and neo-Marxism (Wallerstein, Laclau, Harvey, Jameson). Discourse analysis and deconstruction are my main research methods and I focus primarily on written texts.

 

Project: international politics of bioenergy 

The aim of my research is to compare, unravel and analyze how Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Energy Agency (IEA) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in relation to their specific goals and tasks, discuss and frame bioenergy as a potential solution to the challanges of: agricultural stagnation, climate change and energy insecurity.  

 

Publications

Kuchler, M. (2010) Unravelling the argument for bioenergy production in developing countries: A world-economy perspective. Ecological Economics 69(6):1336-1343.

Ostwald, M. and Kuchler, M. (2009) Climate science and policy research coming into being. Examples from the international politics of bioenergy and the case of avoided deforestation. In: Lövbrand, E., Linnér, B-O. and Ostwald, M., Climate Science and Policy Research Conceptual and Methodological Challenges. CSPR, Norrköping. Report 09:03.

Kuchler, M. and Linnér, B-O. (2008) Pros and Cons of International Biofuel Production. An overview of research and policy reports. CSPR Briefing No. 3. CSPR, Norrköping.   

Kuchler, M. (2007) Synergies between UNCTAD and UNFCCC – potentials, obstacles, consequences. Master's Thesis. The Tema Institute, Department of Water and Environmental Studies, Linköping University.

All publications online in the LiU E-Press.
 

Conference papers

Kuchler, M. and Linnér, B-O. (2011) Challenging the food vs. fuel dilemma: genealogical analysis of the biofuel discourse pursued by international organizations. Paper presented at: The 10th Nordic Environmental Social Science Conference (NESS), 14-16 June 2011, Stockholm University.

 

Presentations

KVA Symposium. "Global food security: biophysical and social limits and opportunities". 07 November 2011, Beijersalen, Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien. 

Uppsala Food and Nutrition Centre seminar highlighting the World Food Day 2008. "World food security and the challenges of climate change and bioenergy". 16 October 2008, Sal X, Universitetshuset, Uppsala universitet.

 

Media

Interview in the LiU Magazine 2-10, "Biofuel or food? Competition over desirable farmland", pp. 24-26.

 

Teaching

Lectures and seminars on bioenergy and climate policies at Tema V and other LiU departments, including the "Biofuels for Transport" course at IEI and "Contemporary Issues in International Governance" course of MSSc International and European Relations. 

From 2008 to 2010 I was administrator of the course on Sustainable Development in the Global Context.