I conduct transdisciplinary research across environmental geography, critical social theory, and applied design to investigate how we understand, govern, and respond to transitions across social, ecological, and technological systems. My work operates across four core themes:
Global knowledge infrastructures and AI governance
Recent research investigates how transnational management consultancies, tech conglomerates, and algorithmic systems shapes and futures global strategies. This research critiques the depoliticisation of public governance, the commodification of sustainability, and the extractive political ecology of emerging AI futures.
[Journal article] Westgate, J. and Lewis, N. ctrl + alt + elite: The Big Four, AI, and the depoliticisation of governance [In preparation]
[Journal article] Westgate, J. and Lewis, N. Imagineering inclusive capitalism: The Big Four at COP and Davos [under review]
[Presentation] ‘Imagineering Net Zero capitalism: The Big Four at COP and Davos’ (Westgate, J. and Lewis, N.), Extra-state formation and the Big Four symposium, University of Auckland, Auckland, Feb 2025
Planetary and systems disruption
Exploring the socio-spatial, material, and philosophical dimensions of living in disrupted planetary systems. Drawing on cultural geography and environmental humanities, this work examines how institutions and everyday practices adapt to irreversible ecological flux, climate instabilities, and post-natural conditions.
[Journal article] Westgate, J. 2023. Corals, geo-sociality, and Anthropocene dwelling, Exchanges: The Interdisciplinary Journal (open access)
[Journal article] Westgate, J. 2020. Anthropocene dwelling: lessons from post-disaster Christchurch, New Zealand Geographer, doi: 10.1111/nzg.12242 (download)
[Journal article] Westgate, J. 2017. Crossing Rivers, Revisiting Trauma, and Contemplating the Geo: Thinking into the Anthropocenic. GeoHumanities 3(1): 233-245. (online)
[Event] Anthropocene Campus II – The Technosphere, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, April 2016: invited participant
[Commentary] Westgate, J. 2016. Art, Air and Ideas in the Anthropocene. Anthropocene Curriculum. HKW, Berlin.
Governance, co-design and public engagement
Translating critical inquiry into actionable, community-anchored frameworks for public bodies and civic groups. This practice designs participatory engagement models – integrating place-based insights and indigenous frameworks such as mātauranga Māori – to build resilience and navigate contested transitions.
[Governance] Local Board Climate Adaptation Plans, Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland Council (NZ)
[Community engagement] ‘North Richmond Housing Estate’ community design, CoDesign Studio (Melbourne) / Department of Human Services
[Community engagement] “Love: Art, Ideas, Music, Politics”, Love Collective, Wollongong / Kembla Press (Australia)
[Campaign] Global Climate Change Week campaign, Global Climate Change Week (Australia)
Practice-led inquiries and speculative design
Utilising creative research and speculative design provocations to interrogate complex phenomena that resist standard metrics. These non-traditional research outputs make invisible infrastructures, deep-time temporalities, and emergent risks legible for public and academic discourse.
[Journal article] Westgate, J. 2022. Speculative experiments for an everyday Anthropocene, GeoHumanities. (online) (download)
[Presentation] ‘Speculative futures and serious possibility’, presentation. Royal Geographical Society/Institute of British Geographers Annual International Conference 2014, London, August 2014.
[Presentation] ‘Adapting to what? Experimenting with speculative futures’, presentation. Unnatural Futures Conference, University of Tasmania, Hobart, June 2014.
[Speculative design] “#lastchancetourism” speculative design project
[Speculative design] “geo-graphy” speculative design project
[Photography] “On the horizon” photographic series