The Evolving Interface Between Pastoralism and Uncertainty: Reflecting on Cases from Three Continents

Abstract

The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, created in 1992 and currently directed by Professor Brigid Laffan, aims to develop inter-disciplinary and comparative research on the major issues facing the process of European integration, European societies and Europe's place in 21 st century global politics. The Centre is home to a large post-doctoral programme and hosts major research programmes, projects and data sets, in addition to a range of working groups and ad hoc initiatives. The research agenda is organised around a set of core themes and is continuously evolving, reflecting the changing agenda of European integration, the expanding membership of the European Union, developments in Europe's neighbourhood and the wider world.

Puhals: Outlining the Dynamics of Labour and Hired Herding among the Gaddi Pastoralists of India

“…Based on puhal recruitment by the Gaddi, we interpret that the hiring of herders is emerging out of a dire need driven by labour shortages and variable external exigencies. The mounting ecological challenges leading to climate and resource uncertainties also play an essential role in influencing extra labour demands within the pastoral systems (Nori 2021).…”

Embracing uncertainty: rethinking migration policy through pastoralists’ experiences

“…Practices of mobility are thus embedded in networks, with knowledgeable and wellconnected herders at the centre. There may be key people at certain nodes, such as milk collectors or market traders, very often acting in concert (de Bruijn et al, 2016;Nori, 2021). While they may draw on other types of information, such as from government extension services, satellite monitoring bulletins or market information systems, these are not the primary sources influencing movement choices.…”

“…This migration started as an informal migratory flow, as pastoral families moved to Italy with their animals in search of pastrures and markets, while also fleeing local feuds. A barrage of policy incentives, credit systems and institutional arrangements were later established to encourage further migration and so a new form of pastoralism in mainland Italy (Nori, 2021). However, pastoral mobilities must also respond more contingently, arising from particular circumstances and evolving uncertainties.…”

“…We drawon case material from Africa, Asia and Europe to explore the mobile practices of pastoralists-livestock-keepers who make use of extensive rangelands in ways that very often cross borders-helping to connect debates about international migration with long-standing discussions of mobility in pastoral contexts. Unpredictable, variable conditions dominate pastoral areas, where herders must mobilise an array of responses to confront uncertain conditions (Nori, 2019(Nori, , 2021Scoones, 2020), and so must live with and from uncertainty in order to navigate variable rangelands resources, unexpected conflicts, sudden disease outbreak and volatile market conditions (Krätli & Schareika, 2010;Scoones, 1994). This is equally the case among migrants who must deal with border-crossings, difficult transport conditions and variable livelihood opportunities.…”

Pastoral women, tenure, and governance

“…In some cases, land may be formally categorised as collective but there may be an expanding number of individual parcels being claimed de facto as individual private property and formally titled (Greiner 2017). The complexity of tenure systems increases as pastoralists use the land in different ways as livelihoods evolve and diversify and pastoralists increase engagement with the market economy (Nori 2021).…”