SLINNRM · Social Learning Processes in Natural Resource Management: the Role of Learning, Negotiation and Social Capital for more Sustainable Natural Resource Management
FP7 — People (Marie Curie Actions)
- Duration
- 2010-06-01 → 2012-03-31
- EU contribution
- €148,061
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MC-IEF
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Results in brief
Social Learning Processes in Natural Resource Management: the Role of Learning, Negotiation and Social Capital for more Sustainable Natural Resource Management
There is a growing interest within environmental and natural resource management for learning-based approaches that emphasise experimentation and reflective practice. In this context, an emerging conceptual construct about which much has been written is social learning. Social learning has been used in relation to a number of resource issues and is currently attracting the interest of researchers and practitioners. Social learning was also at the core of this post-doctoral research project, which has received funds from the seventh framework programme of the European Union (Marie Cure-Action IEF). The project had two main objectives; one was to undertake an extensive review of the social learning literature in order to search for emerging trends and themes, while a second objective was to undertake an empirical study and investigate learning processes in a real-world situation. Thus, the review of the social learning literature involved a sample of 97 publications published after peer-review which were scrutinised against selected analytical items. Namely, we searched for trends in how the concept is used, have analysed methodological choices and interdisciplinary influences. The analysis led to results published in scientific articles and monograph chapters. Also, the research involved two case studies where we have investigated learning processes and the role of social capital. One is a case of resources managed under a common-pool regime, where we focused on learning interactions and role of social capital. The second case involved the appraisal of learning processes in relation to a participatory process used for the design of a Natura 2000 management plan. Both are located in the North-East of Italy.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The proposal suggest to undertake conceptual and empirical research about learning-based approaches to natural resource management and more precisely aims to use the construct of social learning, defined as a framework used to study collective decision making processes and the resulting change processes, in an empirical investigation of two cases of natural resource management. This proposal has five research objectives: investigate learning process with relation to different levels of aggregation; investigate the relationship between learning processes and social capital; develop a suitable research methodology; undertake an empirical study in a natural setting; and bring conceptual and empirical insights into a theory-building exercise. The reasons for carrying out further research on learning-based approaches relate to the need for resource management approaches that are adaptive and able to cope with uncertainty and complexity, and can accommodate different user groups. In addressing the above mentioned research objectives this project can contribute to refine the understanding of learning-based approaches and can produce knowledge, which can support practitioners and decision-makers in the development of methods/tools/processes best able to engage actors at various levels for collective decision-making, and sustainable change process. This knowledge and tools can benefit other domains as well, where human action is central, for instance sustainable consumption or climate change. .
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY · WageningenCoordinatorNetherlands
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union