Professor Kassam conducts research that has immediate impact on community agency, adaptation, and resilience.

His research interests include: Indigenous and place-based ecological knowledge Human ecology Ethnobiology Biocultural diversity Stewardship Ecological calendars Pluralism Ways of knowing Food sovereignty and security Medicinal plants (health sovereignty) Participatory action research Climate change impacts and adaptation Natural resource policy and management Development studies Indigenous land and marine use mapping Gender analysis Arctic social science Social history of Muslim societies Social change in indigenous communities Community economic development