Matthew A. Schnurr
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. My research interests focus on the politics of agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Schnurr & Dowd-Uribe. (2021). Anticipating farmer outcomes of three genetically modified staple crops in sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from farming systems research. Journal of Rural Studies
The research presented in this paper offers a different evaluative approach for new GM crops by taking inspiration from farming systems research (FSR). We use the conceptual starting point of FSR scholarship—the farming system—to conduct an exploratory predictive analysis of three GM crops currently in the experimental pipeline: Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) …
Schnurr & Taylor. (2021). Simulating the Sustainable Development Goals: Scaffolding, Social Media and Self-Reported Learning Outcomes Amongst Entry-Level Students. Journal of Political Science Education, 17(1), 255-274.
This paper addresses two crucial gaps in the scholarship on the design and execution Simulation-Based Education (SBE) – the importance of scaffolding in constructing successful simulations for entry-level students and the associated value of social media tools. We examine these issues within three successive iterations of a role-play simulation employed in an introductory undergraduate course. …
Addison, Schnurr, Gore, Bawa & Mujabi-Mujuzi. (2021). Women’s Empowerment in Africa: Critical Reflections on the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI). African Studies Review, 64(2), 276-291.
This commentary unpacks the underlying assumptions underpinning the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI). The WEAI has emerged as a popular survey tool designed to measure women’s inclusion, agency, and empowerment in the agricultural sector. By revealing key flaws and assumptions underpinning this survey tool, our goal is to contribute to the critical literature on empowerment which …
Twum-Anti, Jeffries, Theron, Schnurr, & Ungar. (2020). Young people’s perceptions of identities in a rural oil and gas town experiencing boom-bust economic cycles. Journal of Applied Youth Studies, 3, 275–292.
To investigate young people’s experiences of living in a community dependent on resource extraction and processing industries during boom-bust economic cycles, we used a qualitative multi-method approach to engage 50 youth ages 13–24 in a study of resilience and well-being. As part of our analysis of resilience processes, we examined how young people’s perceptions of …
Schnurr, Addison, Gore, & Bawa. (2020). Genetically modified crops and gender relations in low- and middle-income countries: A critical review. Journal of Development Perspectives, 4(1-2), 9-22.
Genetically Modified (GM) crops have been lauded as a tool to redress stagnating yields and food insecurity amongst poor farmers since their release in the early 1990s. The potential for GM crops to alleviate poverty for farmers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) will likely hinge on their ability to enhance women’s overall wellbeing, yet …
Ungar, McRuer, Liu, Theron, Blais, & Schnurr. (2020). Social-ecological resilience through a biocultural lens: A participatory methodology to support global targets and local priorities. Ecology and Society, 25(3), 8.
More research is needed to properly represent social-ecological system (SES) interactions that support the integrity of biological and cultural, i.e., biocultural, relationships in places experiencing environmental, economic, and social change. In this paper we offer a novel methodology to address this need through the development of place-based indicators and engagement of young people as coresearchers …
Schnurr & Taylor. (2019). Bridging the gap between the Research Ethics Board and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(1)
In 2016, Dalhousie University’s Research Ethics Board created an interdisciplinary working group to identify the key ethical challenges of SoTL research, with the overarching aim of recommending best practices and communicating these to researchers in order to support and expand the conduct of ethically sound SoTL research. This essay reflects on the lessons learned through …
Schnurr, Addison, & Mujabi-Mujuzi. (2020). Limits to biofortification: farmer perspectives on a Vitamin-A enriched banana in Uganda. Journal of Peasant Studies, 47(2), 326-345.
This paper draws on three data sets to evaluate whether biofortification fix synchs with existing farming systems, using the case study of the East African Highland Banana, known locally as matooke in Uganda. We argue that the positive scenario outlined by proponents rests on a number of assumptions related to the health, social and economic contexts facing producers. Full-text …
Schnurr & Addison. (2017). Which variables influence farmer adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) orphan crops? Measuring attitudes and intentions to adopt GM matooke banana in Uganda, AgBioForum 20(2), 133-147.
This study uses participatory ranking exercises to investigate the variables that determine attitudes and intentions to adopt matooke banana in Uganda. Results suggest that attitudes and potential patterns of adoption will vary significantly according to region, farm size, membership in a farmer’s association, previous experience with improved varieties and visits from extension workers. Full-text (protected)|Pre-publication …
Schnurr. (2017). GMOs and poverty: Yield gaps, differentiated impacts and the search for alternative questions. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 38(1), 149-157
This short commentary reflects on the question: Can genetically modified (GM) crops help the poor? It aims not to provide a definitive answer but rather to grapple with the question itself, in the hope of illuminating some of the critical assumptions and values that shape exchanges on this polarising and politicised question. Full-text (protected) |Pre-publication version