EHS Welcomes Dr Orestes Kolokouris as an Honorary Research Associate

We are pleased to welcome Dr Orestes Kolokouris to the Environmental Humanities South team as an Honorary Research Associate. 

Orestes is a Geographer and Environmental Scientist, who recently completed his  Ph.D. at the Panteion University of Athens. His doctoral research focused on environmental conflicts in peri-urban areas and issues of environmental governance.

He is a member of the research network Foncimed and previously participated in a network coordinated by AgroParisTech, dedicated to the mapping, identification, and measurement of land-use conflicts. A civil servant and graduate of the Greek National School of Public Administration, he has served as Parliamentary Assistant for the Green Party and MeRA25, and as Administration Officer in the Department of Environmental Protection and Climate Change at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is currently Deputy Head of the Greek Consulate in Cape Town.

“I look forward to engaging with the EHS community as an interdisciplinary space where environmental justice, governance, and social theory meet. The opportunity to exchange ideas, participate in seminars, and situate my work in conversation with scholars focusing on the African context is particularly exciting” said Orestes reflecting on his appointment.  

In his new role at EHS he will explore roads and urban mobility “as a site where questions of justice, democracy, and sustainability intersect”. Framing this research with broader discussions on ‘green’ and ‘just’ transitions he will use urban mobility as an entry point  “to explore wider issues of the limits, alternative models and opportunities of green transition in contexts different than the typical "western European success story".”

Discussing how his research intersects with the work of EHS, Orestes highlighted how he aims to reframe mobility “not merely as a technical challenge but as a commons issue — one that determines who has access to work, services, and public space.” He noted that his focus on commons governance as “an essential tool for shaping territorial policy…resonates closely with EHS’s focus on rethinking human–environment relations and addressing structural inequalities.”

Beyond the university and consulate, Orestes has become an avid Cape Town cyclist which gives him the space “to experience the city’s varied geographies up close”. He also enjoys civic engagement and networking with like-minded activists and academics.

We look forward to hosting, researching, and perhaps cycling with Orestes during his appointment.