Nicholas L. Padilla

Photo of Nicholas L. Padilla
Nicholas L. Padilla
Pronouns: he/him/his
Assistant Professor
Office: 
269-387-0604
Location: 
3521 Wood Hall, Mail Stop 5424
Mailing address: 
School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5424 USA
Education: 
  • Ph.D. Geography, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017
  • M.S. Geography, Texas State University-San Marcos, 2009
  • B.A. Political Science and Spanish, St. Norbert College, 2006
Teaching interests: 
  • Latin America
  • Human Geography
  • Political Ecology
Research interests: 
  • Political Ecology
  • Indigenous Peoples
  • Political Economy
Bio: 

Dr. Padilla is a broadly-trained critical human geographer who researches at the intersections of political ecology, political economy, and indigenous peoples in Latin America. In Colombia, his research explores the politics and spatialities of indigenous and peasant social movements, education, and economic activism through ethnographic fieldwork. His previous research examined the spaces of decolonial thinking and praxis among indigenous and rural actors in Cauca, Colombia, who have coalesced in order to further their ‘own’ educational model, re-introduce social relations in rural economies, and account for and incorporate nature in economic practices.