Water, societies and sustainability: A few anthropological examples of non-market water values

Wateau, Fabienne

doi:10.1016/j.polsoc.2011.10.004

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…There are myriad cultural‐religious ontologies and values that deserve to be seen, enfolded, and centralized in discourses about fresh waters' values. And if Groenfeldt is right that “water governance is all about values,” then those cultural‐religious ontologies and values that have been long occluded also have implications for governance (Groenfeldt, ; see also Norman, ; Oestigaard, ; Strang, ; Sullivan, ; Wateau, ; Wolf, ; Yates, Harris, & Wilson, ).…”

Section: Aperture 2: Discourses Of Liberal Governance—human Right To mentioning

confidence: 99%

Valuing fresh waters

Zenner

2019

WIREs Water

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In an era increasingly focused on the question of how to value fresh water, this essay argues that questions of value cannot be parsed apart from the multiple ontologies that undergird those value judgments. Returning to Nelson's observation that water exists "in a metaphysical blindspot," this essay describes what chastened metaphysics have to do with fresh waters' pluralities and depicts three apertures by which contemporary water discourses delineate fresh waters' values: economic theory and neoliberal market practice, paradigms of liberal governance, and culturalreligious multiplicities. In the latter, fresh waters' life-giving properties tend to be accorded central respect in ways that often exceed the ontological understandings and moral possibilities preferred by western liberal discourses in an era that has been decisively shaped by scientific, hydraulic/extractive modernity and rational planning. Parsing the ways that selected cultural-religious formulations align with or challenge dominant governance paradigms, this essay argues that decolonial ways of proceeding are necessary if value discourse and ethical action are to be substantially oriented toward the inclusive, long-term flourishing of human and other bodies of waters. The final section summarizes these claims and underscores necessary warnings. This article is categorized under: Human Water > Value of Water Human Water > Water as Imagined and Represented Human Water > Methods K E Y W O R D S cultural-religious multiplicities, decolonial methods, human right to water, ontology of fresh waters, value of water 1 | INTRODUCTION: FRAMING FRESH WATERS The value of water is a rising conceptual infatuation for twenty-first century agents of water distribution (High Level Panel on Water, 2018a; Value of Water Campaign, 2019; Watershed, 2017). Recognizing Nelson's (2003) assertion that "water exists in a metaphysical blindspot," this essay first argues that fresh waters are plural, not singular, and that questions of value cannot be parsed apart from the multiple ontologies that undergird those value judgments, with implications for contemporary water discourses. Next, this essay depicts three apertures by which contemporary water discourses delineate fresh waters' values: economic theory and neoliberal market practice, paradigms of liberal governance, and cultural-religious multiplicities. The typology provided by these three apertures is of course permeable, but it is also an instructive heuristic for the project of gaining clarity on how different strands of water discourse inflect the conclusions drawn about fresh waters' values. While the first two apertures on economic theory and governance, respectively, will be familiar to many readers, the third aperture-culturalreligious multiplicities-may seem far afield. "Cultural-religious multiplicities" is a term used here to depict the epistemic commitment that cultural, customary, and religious ecological rationalities and practices are often interwoven; that they are many in number and kind; and that th...

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Section: Aperture 2: Discourses Of Liberal Governance—human Right To mentioning

confidence: 99%

Valuing fresh waters

Zenner

2019

WIREs Water

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“…Por lo que se refiere a esto, existen comunidades asentadas en la región de Nepal en las fronteras de India y China donde el uso del agua para las actividades agrícolas se distribuye y maneja según el parentesco y las creencias cosmológicas. En este aspecto, la repartición del agua se fundamenta en una distribución equitativa del recurso según el linaje, donde prima la armonía social, la organización ancestral y el simbolismo entre los miembros que integran el territorio (Wateau, 2011).…”

Section: Fig 5: Estrategias De Conservación De Jagüeyes Con Cercasunclassified

“…El conocimiento desarrollado a partir de las prácticas ancestrales, contribuye de cierta forma a la restauración de los ecosistemas (Uprety et al, 2012). En este sentido, los sistemas tradicionales brindan información útil para entender las dinámicas socioambientales presentes en los territorios, aportando estrategias de manejo sobre los ecosistemas (Wateau, 2011). Desde este punto de vista, el conocimiento ancestral de los recursos naturales por parte de las comunidades indígenas, les ha permitido conservar sus recursos de forma sostenible a lo largo de la historia, garantizando de esta forma el sostenimiento de sus generaciones (Negi et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

“…Conviene subrayar, que uno de los mayores problemas actuales que viven los territorios indígenas es la forma como las concepciones locales, simbólicas, cosmológicas y socioculturales chocan con las políticas económicas y técnicas de las instituciones nacionales que plantean los sistemas de gestión desde sus realidades sin tener presente las particularidades de cada territorio (Wateau, 2011). En este sentido, las prácticas culturales pueden ser consideradas opciones viables para enfrentar los problemas de sequía en los territorios; sin embargo, para tener una verdadera incidencia como alternativas de solución es necesario que estas se integren a las políticas económicas y sociales de cada región (Sampaio, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

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El Recurso Agua en las Comunidades Indígenas Wayuu de La Guajira Colombiana. Parte 1: Una Mirada desde los Saberes y Prácticas Ancestrales

2018

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ResumenLa finalidad de la investigación fue estudiar los saberes, creencias y prácticas ancestrales que tienen las comunidades indígenas Wayuu de La Guajira Colombiana sobre el tema del agua y como estas manejan y gestionan el recurso para su sostenibilidad. El trabajo se desarrolló dentro del proyecto cofinanciado por Colciencias lineamientos para el ordenamiento territorial costero y marino del departamento de La Guajira. El tipo de investigación es histórica, documental y explicativa. Se utilizó la entrevista como instrumento para colectar la información, la que está compuesta por preguntas abiertas y semiestructuradas. Las preguntas se agruparon en componentes con el fin de facilitar su análisis descriptivo. Los resultados evidencian que las prácticas ancestrales de manejo del agua están supeditadas a la presencia o ausencia del líquido. Esto es que en las zonas con mayor disponibilidad de agua las comunidades tienen comportamientos y costumbres diferentes en términos de administración, conservación y buen uso del recurso, comparado con zonas de escasez de agua. Palabras AbstractThe purpose of the research was to study the knowledge, beliefs and ancestral practices that the indigenous Wayuu communities of La Guajira Colombiana have around the concept of water and how they manage this resource for its sustainability. The work was developed within the project co-financed by Colciencias guidelines for the coastal and marine territorial ordering of the department of La Guajira. The type of research is historical, documentary and explanatory. The interview was used as the instrument for gathering information, which includes open and semi-structured questions. The questions were grouped into components to facilitate their descriptive analysis. The results show that the ancestral practices of water management depend upon the presence or absence of the liquid. That is, the areas with better water availability communities have different behavior and customs in terms of administration, conservation and good use of the resource, than those in which water is scarce.

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“…Zollinger, ; Scholz, ; Hassler et al ., ; Jones and Crook, ; Leibundgut and Lischewski, ). However, the social matrix of traditional irrigation schemes is generally characterized by a high level of equity, an element of democracy in decision making and a collective memory which provides an effective mechanism for conflict resolution (Jones and Crook, ; Wateau, ). The logic behind water distribution and allocation on the resource system level was based on 'social agreements about the fair sharing of a scarce resource'—practically characterized by direct interrelationships through the distribution network, crafted working rules and interpersonal arrangements (Wateau, ; van den Dries, ; Schweizer and Reynard, ).…”

Section: Revival Of Interest In Traditional Irrigation—restoration Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

European Traditional Irrigation in Transition Part Ii: Traditional Irrigation in Our Time-Decline, Rediscovery and Restoration Perspectives

Leibundgut

Kohn

2014

Irrig. and Drain.

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The first part of this review demonstrates that before the twentieth century, traditional irrigation schemes were widespread and a characteristic feature of European landscapes. Rapid decline in traditional irrigation practice ensued following the arrival of agricultural industrialization. Today working traditional irrigation systems are rare exceptions, yet relic features can still frequently be found in the field. Consequently, the tradition of irrigation is diminishing and comprehensive documentation and reconstruction are urgent issues. Moreover, full recognition of irrigation tradition as a rural patrimony of high complexity is needed. Irreversible demise of irrigation operation entails the loss of genuine traditional irrigation landscapes as they were a characteristic part of many regions once. Indeed, interest in traditional irrigation has reawakened recently. Beneficial functions and services of traditional irrigation have been recognized apart from purely agricultural profitability. Increasingly initiatives for revitalization of irrigation emerge, often from nature, biodiversity and landscape conservation circles. Due to conflicts and competing management demands local restoration projects face many challenges. Yet a great potential for creating win–win outcomes by adequate multifunctional landscape management is demonstrated by the existing projects, where the restoration of an extensive heritage landscape could be realized. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Water, societies and sustainability: A few anthropological examples of non-market water values

Cited by 10 publications

References 11 publications

Valuing fresh waters

Valuing fresh waters

El Recurso Agua en las Comunidades Indígenas Wayuu de La Guajira Colombiana. Parte 1: Una Mirada desde los Saberes y Prácticas Ancestrales

European Traditional Irrigation in Transition Part Ii: Traditional Irrigation in Our Time-Decline, Rediscovery and Restoration Perspectives

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