234
10
actors (e.g. capital investors, big conservation organizations, aid donors). Such a
research process may sometimes take political ecologists to new research sites such
as capital cities in the Global North (or in new global powers such as India and
China) where it may make sense to spend time in order to understand the root
causes of the processes studied. Often these causes are historical, and many political ecologists have therefore, through following chains or networks, decided to
spend time in colonial archives.
7 Chapter 4 discusses the establishment and governance of protected areas in
the Global South including examples from Tanzania, South Africa and India. The
governance of protected areas that we observe today is deeply rooted in practices
that can be traced back to the colonial period. In addition, current governance is
strongly influenced by powerful international actors such as big conservation organizations and aid donors. These actors are not only powerful because of the funding they can provide, but also because they have discursive power by being able to
dominate international discourse production on the conservation of for instance
elephants or tigers. They have been highly successful in producing and reproducing
a global win-win discourse on conservation where the protection of wildlife and
ecosystems is said to also provide communities with income and well-being.
In contrast, political ecologists have abundantly demonstrated, through a large
number of case studies, how conservation practice often leads to exclusion and
dispossession of local communities. In addition, the violence performed by antipoaching units and park rangers has increasingly been a theme in the literature on
the political ecology of conservation. The negative effects of much conservation
practice on livelihoods as well the violence and human rights abuses sometimes
involved have also been documented by journalists in documentary films and articles. A recent example is a series of articles in BuzzFeed News about how WWF
has funded park rangers who are responsible for serious human rights abuses
including murder and rape (see ‘WWF’s Secret War’ on 7 https://www.
buzzfeednews. com/collection/wwfsecretwar).
Such journalism in addition to the scholarly work by political ecologists challenge the dominating win-win discourse on conservation and demonstrate the need
for increased environmental justice in conservation practice. In 7 Chap. 3, we
introduce ways to analyse discourses on particular themes and connected narratives, and to better understand the exercise of discursive power and its resistance.
The key themes of power, justice and environmental sustainability run through all
chapters in this book. Our approach to political ecology is also mainstream in the
sense that it mainly combines discourse and narrative analysis with Marxist political
economy. In addition, we draw on insights from natural science when this is relevant.
10.2 Where Do We Go from Here?
As a dynamic field in steady development, political ecology has during the last few
decades continued to add new theoretical approaches and themes to its repertoire.
Here, at the end of this book, we will briefly mention three recent developments
that we think will play an increasing role in this field in the years to come. These
Chapter 10 · Stocktake and Ways Forward
10
actors (e.g. capital investors, big conservation organizations, aid donors). Such a
research process may sometimes take political ecologists to new research sites such
as capital cities in the Global North (or in new global powers such as India and
China) where it may make sense to spend time in order to understand the root
causes of the processes studied. Often these causes are historical, and many political ecologists have therefore, through following chains or networks, decided to
spend time in colonial archives.
7 Chapter 4 discusses the establishment and governance of protected areas in
the Global South including examples from Tanzania, South Africa and India. The
governance of protected areas that we observe today is deeply rooted in practices
that can be traced back to the colonial period. In addition, current governance is
strongly influenced by powerful international actors such as big conservation organizations and aid donors. These actors are not only powerful because of the funding they can provide, but also because they have discursive power by being able to
dominate international discourse production on the conservation of for instance
elephants or tigers. They have been highly successful in producing and reproducing
a global win-win discourse on conservation where the protection of wildlife and
ecosystems is said to also provide communities with income and well-being.
In contrast, political ecologists have abundantly demonstrated, through a large
number of case studies, how conservation practice often leads to exclusion and
dispossession of local communities. In addition, the violence performed by antipoaching units and park rangers has increasingly been a theme in the literature on
the political ecology of conservation. The negative effects of much conservation
practice on livelihoods as well the violence and human rights abuses sometimes
involved have also been documented by journalists in documentary films and articles. A recent example is a series of articles in BuzzFeed News about how WWF
has funded park rangers who are responsible for serious human rights abuses
including murder and rape (see ‘WWF’s Secret War’ on 7 https://www.
buzzfeednews. com/collection/wwfsecretwar).
Such journalism in addition to the scholarly work by political ecologists challenge the dominating win-win discourse on conservation and demonstrate the need
for increased environmental justice in conservation practice. In 7 Chap. 3, we
introduce ways to analyse discourses on particular themes and connected narratives, and to better understand the exercise of discursive power and its resistance.
The key themes of power, justice and environmental sustainability run through all
chapters in this book. Our approach to political ecology is also mainstream in the
sense that it mainly combines discourse and narrative analysis with Marxist political
economy. In addition, we draw on insights from natural science when this is relevant.
10.2 Where Do We Go from Here?
As a dynamic field in steady development, political ecology has during the last few
decades continued to add new theoretical approaches and themes to its repertoire.
Here, at the end of this book, we will briefly mention three recent developments
that we think will play an increasing role in this field in the years to come. These
Chapter 10 · Stocktake and Ways Forward