Addressing conflict through collective action in natural resource management

Ratner, Blake D.; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela; Hellin, Jon; Mapedza, Everisto; Unruh, Jon D.; Veening, Wouter; Haglund, Eric; May, Candace K.; Bruch, Carl

doi:10.18352/ijc.768

Cited by 54 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…The conceptual framework on resource conflict, collective action, and social-ecological resilience that Ratner et al (2013) developed, informed Buena Milpa's approach in Guatemala. Ratner et al (2017) argue the need to understand the governance context of the region, the role of collective action institutions, and the scope of influence for the varied actors engaged in the more immediate action arena in which decisions affecting resource management are made. This approach influenced Buena Milpa from the design to implementation phases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Stakeholders interact within socially defined action arenas that can exist at multiple scales, and may be both formal and informal, e.g., the activities of a development organization and/or farmer organization. Ratner et al (2017) identify three distinct domains for intervention (see Fig. 1).…”

Section: Collective Action In Natural Resource Conflict and Cooperationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The approach used by Buena Milpa, therefore, illustrates that despite the legacy of the armed conflict in terms of debilitated CSOs, there are still opportunities for collective action. As Ratner et al (2017) expound, much can be achieved by acquiring a sound understanding of the context of the region, the extant role of collective action institutions, and the varied actors engaged in the action arena. The following three case studies illustrate the advantages of bringing this knowledge together and aligning with grassroots and reputable organizations in order to influence the action arena.…”

Section: Action Arenamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The framework is applicable across multiple scales of analysis, linking local stakeholder dynamics to the broader institutional and governance context. Later work by Ratner et al (2017) also shows how understanding the factors that influence collective action can yield insights about the policies and strategies needed to promote equitable outcomes. The framework informed the work in Guatemala reported in this paper.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Framework for analysis of conflict and cooperation in natural resources management, showing three windows for intervention. Source:Ratner et al 2017. …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increasing social-ecological resilience within small-scale agriculture in conflict-affected Guatemala

Hellin¹,

Ratner²,

Meinzen-Dick³

et al. 2018

E&S

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Climate change scenarios suggest largely detrimental impacts on agricultural production from a deterioration of renewable natural resources. Over the last 15 years, a new field of research has focused on the interactions between climate and conflict risk, particularly as it relates to competition over natural resources and livelihoods. Within this field, there has been less attention to the potential for resource competition to be managed in ways that yield greater cooperation, local adaptation capacity, social-ecological resilience, and conflict mitigation or prevention. The challenge of increasing social-ecological resilience in small-scale agriculture is particularly acute in the socioeconomically and agroecologically marginalized Western Highlands of Guatemala. Not only is climate change a threat to agriculture in this region, but adaptation strategies are challenged by the context of a society torn apart by decades of violent conflict. Indeed, the largely indigenous population in the Western Highlands has suffered widespread discrimination for centuries. The armed conflict has left a legacy of a deeply divided society, with communities often suspicious of outsider interventions and in many cases with neighbors pitted against each other. We use the example of the Buena Milpa agricultural development project to demonstrate how grassroots approaches to collective action, conflict prevention, and social-ecological resilience, linking local stakeholder dynamics to the broader institutional and governance context, can bear fruit amidst postconflict development challenges. Examples of microwatershed management and conservation of local maize varieties illustrate opportunities to foster community-level climate adaptation strategies within small-scale farming systems even in deeply divided societies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Collective Action In Natural Resource Conflict and Cooperationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Action Arenamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Framework for analysis of conflict and cooperation in natural resources management, showing three windows for intervention. Source:Ratner et al 2017. …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increasing social-ecological resilience within small-scale agriculture in conflict-affected Guatemala

Hellin¹,

Ratner²,

Meinzen-Dick³

et al. 2018

E&S

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Relational values provide common ground and expose multi‐level constraints to cross‐cultural wetland management

et al. 2021

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The Adaptive Systemic Approach: Catalysing more just and sustainable outcomes from sustainability and natural resources development research

Palmer

Tanner

Akanmu

et al. 2023

River Research & Apps

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It has become increasingly common to include participatory processes, several academic disciplines, and additional wide‐ranging ways of knowing, in using research to tackle the escalating environmental problems of the 21st Century. There are barriers to the success of these efforts. In this paper we present the Adaptive Systemic Approach (ASA). The ASA is designed to provide a clear pathway for research related to sustainability issues, river basin problems and natural resource development, and to deliver change towards improved ecological health and social justice outcomes. The design of the ASA rests on three key concepts: complex social‐ecological systems, transdisciplinarity, and transformative social learning, together with Strategic Adaptive Management as the theoretically consistent operational process. We identify logical connections between the concepts and Strategic Adaptive Management so that the ASA emerges as a coherent and practical research and praxis pathway. The ASA process is then outlined to support uptake and wider application. We present findings from ASA praxis in a collaborative African research program considering river basin problems in seven countries, where key contextual learnings led to the recognition of five barriers to effective research impact outcomes: (1) Lack of an integrative conceptual grounding. (2) Participatory stakeholder engagement flawed by epistemic injustice. (3) Inadequate transdisciplinary team building. (4) Insufficient inclusion of learning, reflection, and systemic adaptation. (5) Inflated claims of probable impact in terms of creating change towards improved ecological health and social justice. We reflect on the ways the ASA contributes to breaching these barriers. Early key learnings from ASA praxis leads us to suggest that the ASA has practical value for policy makers, practitioners and researchers seeking pathways for fair and sustainable river management, and more broadly in natural resource development.

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Addressing conflict through collective action in natural resource management

Cited by 54 publications

References 59 publications

Increasing social-ecological resilience within small-scale agriculture in conflict-affected Guatemala

Increasing social-ecological resilience within small-scale agriculture in conflict-affected Guatemala

Relational values provide common ground and expose multi‐level constraints to cross‐cultural wetland management

The Adaptive Systemic Approach: Catalysing more just and sustainable outcomes from sustainability and natural resources development research

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