Steven West

Steven West is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Assistant.  In addition to numerous positions at Oklahoma State, Mr. West has held lecturer positions at the University of New England- Australia, TAFE, N.S.W, William Blue International Hotel Management School, University of New England-Australia and the International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute.

Mr. West is a Doctoral Candidate, Doctor of Professional Studies University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, and holds a Masters of Management, Tourism Management from the University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.  He holds numerous professional certifications as well.

During the Hargis Fellowship residency, Mr. West will advance his ongoing scholarly project on the anthropology of tourism and cultural representation in multicultural regions of the American Southwest. His current research examines how communities construct, perform, and negotiate identity in places where heritage, art, and tourism economies intersect. Taos provides an ideal environment for this research due to the coexistence of Indigenous, Hispano, artistic, and environmental communities — each with distinct narratives and relationships to tourism.