Richard Mbih

Professional Bio

Richard Mbih is a Geographer by training whose research interests focus on natural resource governance, political ecology, environment and development in Sub-Saharan Africa. His research examines environmental change and society, agro-pastoral sustainability, Fulani pastoral livelihood, environmental conflicts and alternative conflict management, climate change, community resilience, and international development.

Currently, Professor Mbih is engaged in two environment, sustainability, development and livelihood security related research projects. The first examines the effects of climate change on agro-pastoral sustainability, transhumance and persistent farmer-herder conflicts between indigenous Fulani pastoral group and smallholder farming communities in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. The study examines the adaptation and resilient strategies adopted by vulnerable African communities in the face of extreme environmental challenges exacerbated by climate change in Cameroon.

The second project investigates the effects of the current Anglophone crisis in Cameroon on human displacement, which has resulted to the marginalization of the English-speaking minority in Cameroon who are now refugees in neighboring Nigeria, the United States, Mexico, etc. This second project is within the scope of a broader collaborative research on the effects of climate extremes, poverty, and political violence on human misery and migration in sub-Saharan African communities and the surge of African migrants in the United States southern border with Mexico, and elsewhere.

Courses taught:

AFR 105: African Biodiversity and Conservation

AFR 110: Introduction to Contemporary Africa

AFR 209: Poverty in Africa

AFR 234: Environment, Climate Change and Resilience in Africa (new)

AFR 494: Research Project

AFR 496: Independent Studies