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When considering the relationship between science and local knowledge, the issue of validation inevitably arises. Today, this concern, which has been addressed differently in different contexts and at different times, is as present as ever in the context of, for example, assessments by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services or the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Even though everyone proclaims their respect for these “other” knowledge systems, they nevertheless remain a subject of heated debate. Will the natural sciences continue in their historical role as the only legitimate means of apprehending “reality”? If science sets the norm, then is it legitimate that it validates all other sources of knowledge? Or is scientific validation inevitably top down and a product of asymmetrical relations of power? This entry examines various forms of validation and proposes that coproduction of knowledge may provide one way out of the validation dilemma.

In Karen culture, the family is traditionally the basic unit for the education of the child. In the early 1970s, when Jonni Odochao began to notice that children could not relate to their elders or respect them, he surmised that the problem stemmed from the modern education system and its increasing influence upon youth values, behaviour and ways of thinking. To counter this trend he set in place a two‐pronged strategy. Inspired by an old Karen saying, a wide‐ranging alliance of persons with complementary expertise was established to advocate legislative change. In addition, Karen culture was reflected upon and revived by integrating traditional knowledge into the curricula of local schools. For the Karen, the ultimate goal is to be better understood by the society at large and to re‐establish their role as guardians of the forest.