Making the case for participatory research in ENGO practice
Abstract
In an increasingly complex world, conservation planning and evaluation approaches are evolving to address the diverse challenges modern society presents. Part of this evolution includes developing meaningful ways to bring... [ view full abstract ]
In an increasingly complex world, conservation planning and evaluation approaches are evolving to address the diverse challenges modern society presents. Part of this evolution includes developing meaningful ways to bring diverse perspectives, especially those of marginalized groups, into planning, implementation, and evaluation processes. Such a shift would create forums for both participation and equitable decision-making, and in certain cases, may translate to more effective conservation implementation and results. Participatory research methods and tools both from academia and sectors such as development and public health have been shown to foster co-production of knowledge, social learning, and trust building, all helping to create opportunities for more equitable decision-making based on local knowledge. While participatory research has been applied in some conservation cases, there has been little mainstreaming of participatory research practice and use in larger environmental NGOs. Thus, there is ample room to learn from what has already been done that can help shape the future trajectory of participatory research practice in ENGOs.Here, we conduct a review of participatory research approaches from the health and development sectors by exploring academic literature, reports, and toolkits produced by health, development and conservation organizations. Based on this review, we highlight approaches that demonstrate promise for conservation, particularly for marine conservation. Based on insights from the review, we also discuss the site level and institutional challenges and opportunities that may come with incorporating participatory research into environmental NGO practice.
Authors
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Shauna Mahajan
(World Wildlife Fund)
Topic Areas
Topics: Effective marine conservation planning , Topics: Participation in marine conservation science (e.g. citizen and indigenous science) , Topics: Other
Session
PS-1 » Poster Session (18:30 - Wednesday, 27th June, Ranyai Ballroom)