Much of his research continues to focus on how external conditions influence political behaviour, and how insights from evolutionary and embodied cognition, as well as social-neuroscience might be made accessible to policy makers. In addition to his current research focus, Kurtis has worked extensively on issues related to Indigenous self-governance, food and law. He has focused specifically on topics, including Inuit self-determination via living resource management, traditional forms of Métis government, and drivers for collaborative economic development between municipal and band administration.