Political Ecology and Methodology

Slide 1:Political Ecology and Methodology for Protected Areas Research in Eastern and Southern Africa Peter J. Rogers Bates College Environmental Studies Program 111 Bardwell St. Lewiston, ME 04240 tel: (207) 786-8206 fax: (207) 786-8334 email: progers@bates.edu

Slide 3:Dedication Dedicated to Ernest Grueing (1887-1974) - Governor of Alaska, U. S. Senator, unrecognized originator of the concept of �political ecology� (see Gruening 1951), and one of two Senators to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964.

Slide 4:Goal of Paper Outline a methodology for research which synthesizes poststructural theorizing about political ecology and governmentality with positivist ideas about systematic, transparent social science research methods

Slide 5:Organization of Paper Background Political Ecology and Governmentality Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management in Sub-Saharan Africa Research Questions

Slide 6:Organization of Paper Methodology Comparative Case Study Approach Protected Area Complexes and Units of Analyses Operationalizing Political Ecology and Governmentality The Role of Computer Databases and Qualitative Analysis

Slide 7:Organization of Paper Conclusion: Is �Antiessential Political Ecology� an Oxymoron?

Slide 8:Background Political Ecology Nature as politically contested and shaped Non-human nature shapes processes of economics and political contestation How we �know� the environment is critical Political contestation involves actors

Slide 9:Background Governmentality Recognition of importance of historical processes, the role of �genealogy� Historical process should focus on the identification of important, distinct �problematization� events Most importantly, �priority give[n] to �how� questions�

Slide 10:Background Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management in Sub-Saharan Africa CITES controversies over ivory trade Spatial extent of protected area Economic importance of wildlife tourism

Slide 11:Background Research Questions How are wildlife conservation and protected areas governed in sub-Saharan Africa? What are the sources of wildlife conservation and protected area governance in contemporary sub-Saharan Africa?

Slide 12:Methodology Comparative Case Study Approach Quasi-experiment Between case comparison Within-case comparison

Slide 13:Methodology Serengeti-Mara and GLTP Case Study Similarities Size Transboundary Multiple Administrative Jurisdictions International Importance Predominantly Savanna Ecosystems National Economic Assets Recent Management Plan Exercises

Slide 17:Methodology Protected Area Complexes National government protected areas Sub-national government protected areas Community wildlife management areas Private protected areas

Slide 18:Methodology Units of Observation Direct elements Indirect elements

Slide 19:Methodology Operationalization What are the �techniques� employed in the governance of wildlife conservation and protected areas? (examples: fire management, water provisions for wildlife, community access to resources and revenue, forms of tourism, role of hunting or culling)

Slide 20:Methodology Operationalization How are protected areas and wildlife conservation made �visible� for the purposes of governance? (examples: maps, organizational plans, and statistics) Who is responsible for such projects of surveillance? (examples: researchers, consultants, management authorities)

Slide 21:Methodology Operationalization What �forms of knowledge and expertise�and �rationality� guide wildlife conservation and protected area governance? (examples: disciplinary, theoretical, technical, and education backgrounds of researchers and management authorities)

Slide 22:Methodology Operationalization Who is involved in the governance of wildlife conservation and protected area management, how do they identify themselves, and how do others identify them? (examples: local communities, ethnic identities, international conservation organizations, animal rights advocates, traditional authorities, private business, and government officials)

Slide 23:Methodology Operationalization What have been the key �problems� of wildlife conservation and protected area governance? (examples: periodization of history based on critical �problem events/episodes,� see partial example in the conclusion below)

Slide 24:Methodology Operationalization Historically, how has wildlife conservation and protected areas been governed in sub-Saharan Africa? (recapitulation of above questions based on problemization periodization scheme)

Slide 25:Methodology Computer Databases and Qualitative Analysis Management of very large data set Collaborative and participatory research Dissemination of research product

Slide 26:Methodology Prototype Database South African Protected Areas along the Western and Southern Boundaries of Kruger National Park Initial Governmentality Survey, June 2003

Slide 27:Conclusion Is �Antiessentialist Political Ecology� an Oxymoron? Theoretical need to recognize the biophysical reality of nature Practical demands of collaborative research

Slide 28:Governmentality Problemataization, Techniques, and Environmental Impacts