Dr Bobbie Chew Bigby

PhD, MS, MA, BA

Adjunct Research Fellow

Email: bobbie.bigby@my.nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Bobbie is a storyteller, writer, scholar, educator, polyglot and enthusiast of the diversity of human cultures, languages and traditional relationships with the living environment. Born and raised in Oklahoma and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Bobbie is a daughter of Cantonese, Cherokee and Euro-American heritages. Her studies, work, friendships and research have taken her to different parts of Asia, Latin America, Indigenous Australia and US Indian Country. Bobbie is particularly passionate about exploring the ways that tourism can be more than just an economic livelihood for Indigenous and post-conflict communities. She focuses on tourism’s potential for connecting people with traditional culture, Country (lands+waters+all living beings) and community.

  • Teaching areas

    • Indigenous studies
    • Critical tourism studies
    • Anthropology
    • International Studies
    • Peace and Conflict Studies
    • Arts, Culture, Heritage Management
    • Global languages (Chinese, Spanish, Khmer, Indigenous languages)

  • Research expertise and supervision

    • Indigenous Nations and cultural tourism
    • Indigenous resurgence
    • Critical tourism studies
    • Ecotourism and wildlife interactions
    • Indigenous interpretations in tourism
    • Traditional culture and knowledge
    • Language instruction/revitalisation/interpretation-translation
    • Peace and social justice studies
    • Refugee communities
    • Indigenous US, Australia, Canada, Myanmar (Burma), China, Cambodia and India.

  • Books

    • (Forthcoming) Bigby, B.C. & Palmer, R. (2024). Indian City USA. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing.
    • Higgins-Desbiolles, F. & Bigby, B.C. (2022). The Local Turn in Tourism: Empowering Communities. Bristol: Channel View Publications.
    • Higgins-Desbiolles, F, Doering, A., & Bigby, B.C. (2021). Socialising Tourism: Rethinking Tourism for Social and Ecological Justice. New York: Routledge.

  • Book chapters

    • Bigby, B.C. (2023) "Restoring relationships of respect with eagle relatives: Tribal-led Eagle Aviary Tours in Oklahoma Indian Country.” in Tourism, Heritage and Commodification of non-human animals: a Post-Humanist Reflection. Edited by Alvaro Lopez, Jafet Quintero & Carol Kline. CABI Publishers.
    • Bigby, B.C., Edgar, J., & Higgins-Desbiolles, F. (2022). "Place-based governance in tourism: Placing local communities at the centre of tourism." in The Local Turn in Tourism: Empowering Communities. Bristol: Channel View Publications.
    • Bigby, B.C. & Brown-Burdex, M. (2022). "The Neighbourhood where history, community, tourism and truth-telling meet: A tourism practitioner case study from the Greenwood Cultural Center of Tulsa, Oklahoma." in The Local Turn in Tourism: Empowering Communities. Bristol: Channel View Publications.
    • Bigby, B.C. & Jim, R. (2021). "Toxic Tourism at Tar Creek: The potential for environmental justice and tribal sovereignty through Indigenous-led tourism.” in Socialising Tourism: Rethinking Tourism for Social and Ecological Justice. New York: Routledge.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • (Forthcoming 2024). Bigby, B.C., Thivanka, M., & Chhuon, S. “Experiencing Cambodia’s Living Arts through Tourism.” Tourism Cases: Asia-Pacific. CABI Publishers.
    • Bigby, B., Jim, R. & Hatley, E. (2023). “Indigenous-led Toxic Tours Opening
    • Pathways for (Re)Connecting to Place, People and all of Creation.” Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 39(3), 390-409. doi: 10.1017/aee.2023.20
    • Bigby, B.C., Hatley, E., & Jim, R. (2022). "The Potential of Toxic Tours: Indigenous Perspectives on Crises, Relationships, Justice and Resurgence in Oklahoma Indian Country." Journal of Sustainable Tourism.   DOI: 10.1080/09669582.2022.2116642
    • Higgins-Desbiolles, F. & Bigby, B.C. (2021). "A Local Turn in Tourism Studies." Annals of Tourism Research. 92. 103291. 10.1016/j.annals.2021.103291.
    • Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Bigby, B.C. and Doering, A. (2021), "Socialising tourism after COVID-19: reclaiming tourism as a social force?", Journal of Tourism Futures. https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-03-2021-0058
    • Bigby, B.C., Peters, A., & Higgins-Desbiolles, F. (2022). "Diversity." Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing. Dimitrios Buhalis (Ed.). Surrey: Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Peters, A., Bigby, B.C., & Higgins-Desbiolles, F. (2022). “Indigenous.” Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing. Dimitrios Bhualis (Ed.). Surrey: Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Higgins-Desbiolles, F., Bigby, B.C., & Peters, A. (2022). “Indigenous Tourism.” Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing. Dimitrios Buhalis (Ed.). Surrey: Edward Elgar Publishing.

  • Conference papers

    • Research Presenter at International Indigenous Climate Change Research Summit (IICRS) 2023, (Online), University of Auckland, New Zealand, 13-17 November 2023.
    • Research Presenter at Power of Partnerships Summit, “Climate Justice and Tourism: A White Paper,” 15-18 October 2023.
    • Keynote Speaker, 25th National Environmental Tar Creek Conference, NEO University, Oklahoma, 10-12 October 2023.
    • Presenter and Keynote Panelist at AIANTA's 25th National American Indian Tourism Conference, 3 October 2023.
    • Research Presenter for Nulungu Research Institute's Talking Heads, 18 August 2023.
    • Keynote Speaker, Critical Tourism Studies-North America, University of Quebec in Montreal, 3-7 August 2023.
    • Guest Speaker, Indigenous Studies Office, University of Waterloo, 1 August 2023.
    • Research Presenter, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU. “The Local Turn in Tourism: Empowering Communities,” April 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdkkSwR5f48&t=1s
    • Research Presenter, Emerging Voices on Animals in Tourism. Co-hosted online by Fanimal organization, 8-10 March 2023.
    • Research Presenter, Nulungu Research Week, presenting alongside Uncle Joe Edgar (Karajarri) on collaborative book chapter, September 2022.
    • Final PhD presentation, UNDA Nulungu Research Institute, September 2022.
    • Research Presenter, UNDA Higher Degree Research Seminar 2022, April 2022.
    • Research Presenter, NSU 49th Symposium of the American Indian, April 2022.
    • Research/Scholar Presenter, US Alumni TIES Seminar, “American Identity: Exploring our Collective Memory, Heritages and Histories.” Minneapolis, March 2022.
    • Presenter, Friends of Tulsa City-County Libraries, ‘Travels with Tulsans’ program, January 2022.
    • Research Presenter, UNDA Higher Degree Research Mini Conference 2021, “Navigating Community-based PhD Research across Countries and COVID-19: Reflections from a Cherokee Nation HDR Student,” 23 November 2021.
    • Presenter at AIANTA’s National American Indian Tourism Conference, “Tourism Trails and Intergenerational Impacts in Indigenous Communities,” 25 October 20201.
    • Research Presenter for Nulungu Research Institute’s Talking Heads Seminar, “McGirt: Implications for Indian Country and Beyond,” 27 July 2021.
    • Research Presenter for Critical Tourism Studies North American Conference 2021, Montreal/University of Quebec Montreal, “Tar Creek Toxic Tourism and the Possibilities for Environmental Justice and Tribal Sovereignty,” 21 June 2021.
    • Research Presenter for the NSU 48th Annual Symposium on the American Indian, “Toxic Tours on Indigenous Country,” 13 April 2021.
    • Presenter for KLC Kimberley Indigenous Tourism Workshop, “Indigenous Inspiration: Different Models of Indigenous-led Tourism, examples from the United States” 10 March 2021.
    • Research Presenter for the PacRim 2021, 36th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, “The Potential of Indigenous-led Tourism for Socio-Ecological Justice, Activism and Disability Awareness,” 1-2 March 2021.
    • Research Presenter for the International Indigenous Research Conference 2020, Aotearoa/New Zealand, “Indigenous-led Tourism in Service of Community, Culture and Country,” November 2020.
    • Research Presenter for Nulungu Research Institute’s ‘Talking Heads’ Seminar, “Toxic Tourism on Indigenous Country,” October 2020.
    • Guest Presenter for TriO Oklahoma, Virtual Fall Summit: Dialogues on Preserving and Celebrating Diverse Heritages, “Meaningful Engagements with Diversity,” 2 October 2020.
    • Research Presenter for NSU Class on ‘Sustainability in Tourism: An Indigenous Perspective’ class, online. 30 September 2020.

  • Original creative works

    • Bigby, B. C. (November 2023). Love of Place Over Lithium: Learning, Connecting, and Valuing Noongar Country  | Cultural Survival. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/love-place-over-lithium-learning-connecting-and-valuing-noongar-country
    • Bigby, B. C. (July 2023). From Oak Flat to Spiro: Enduring Indigenous Connections to Copper  | Cultural Survival. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/oak-flat-spiro-enduring-indigenous-connections-copper
    • Bigby, B. C. (June 2023). Colonialism, Capitalism, and Climate Concerns: A Conversation with Metalwork Master Bruce Caesar | Cultural Survival. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/colonialism-capitalism-and-climate-concerns-conversation

  • In the media

    "The Local Turn in Tourism" Presentation for ANU

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdkkSwR5f48
    • https://ictnews.org/news/indigenous-tourism-an-economic-powerhouse

  • Professional affiliations

    • American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) Member
    • Local Environmental Action Demanded (LEAD) Organisation Member
    • Chinese Association of Broome Member

  • Community engagement

    • Volunteer reader and scorer for Annika Rodriguez Scholarship applications for Washington University in St. Louis, 2022.
    • Volunteer reader and scorer for Rotary Peace Fellowship applications, 2020-present.
    • Greater Tulsa Indian Art Festival board member. Lead organizer for annual Native Language Symposium; April 2017-2018.
    • Tulsa Global Alliance lead facilitator for workshops on social justice and community organizing; January 2017-present.

  • Awards

    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, University of Waterloo, 2023-2024
    • Graduate Women Western Australia Scholarship, 2021-2022.
    • Western Australia JTSI Innovation Science/Tourism Industry PhD Fellowship, 2018-2021.
    • Research Training Program (RTP), International Fee Remission Research Scholarships, University of Notre Dame Australia, PhD Arts and Sciences, Indigenous Knowledges for Sustainable Futures, 2018-2022.
    • Drexel University, Department of Arts Administration 2018 award for top Masters Thesis.
    • American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association Scholarship, Drexel University, MA Arts and Culture Administration, 2018.
    • Academic Excellence Award, Scholarship for top GPA student, Drexel University, MA Arts and Culture Administration, 2018.
    • US Alumni TIES Fulbright Educator Team winning grant to peace studies program in Mandalay, Myanmar entitled, “Pedagogies of Peace.” 2017-2018.
    • Dean's Commendation for Academic Excellence, University of Queensland, Entire three term program, 2014-2015.
    • Rotary Peace Fellowship, University of Queensland, Australia, MA International Studies, Peace and Conflict Resolution, 2014-2015.
    • Fulbright Scholarship, Cambodia, research with a focus on tourism and traditional arts. 2009-2010.
    • Mellon Mays Award for Best Research Thesis. 2009
    • Anthropology Department Award for Outstanding Anthropology Research, 2009.
    • Anthropology Department Award for Outstanding Anthropology Student, 2009.

  • Other

    Personal website