Research Note: Reflections on Methods from an Interdisciplinary Research Project in Global Environmental Law

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa Parks ◽  
Elisa Morgera
Keyword(s):  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Research Note ◽  
Benefit Sharing ◽  
Power Relationships ◽  
International Environmental Law ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
The World ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research Project

AbstractThis research note reflects on the methods (as distinct from methodology) used in a five-year interdisciplinary and multi-site research project in global environmental law, and their links to questions of research ethics. We highlight the iterative processes that proved necessary to compare five case studies on local communities engaged in varied discussions on fair and equitable benefit sharing in different regions of the world and their implications for international environmental law. The note recommends explicit reflection on research methods and ethics to acknowledge and address power relationships in global environmental law research.

scholarly journals A Global Environmental Constitution for the Anthropocene?

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Kotzé
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
International Environmental Law ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
The World ◽  
Un General Assembly

AbstractInternational environmental law (IEL) has been unable to respond effectively to the Anthropocene’s global socio-ecological crisis, which is critically existential and requires radical interventions and regulatory reform. This article explores the potential of the recent United Nations (UN)-backed initiative to adopt a Global Pact for the Environment as an opportunity to reform IEL. It does so by (i) reflecting on the Anthropocene’s demands for a constitutionalized form of IEL through the lens of global environmental constitutionalism; (ii) investigating the extent to which the Global Pact could contribute to such a vision; and (iii) suggesting ways in which to strengthen the constitutional potential of the Global Pact in this endeavour. To this end, the article revisits the World Charter for Nature of 1982, which seems to have slipped off the radar in academic as well as policy circles. A case is made for renewed support of the Charter – which already enjoys the backing of the majority of UN General Assembly member states, and which has constitutional qualities – to serve as a ‘best-practice’ example during the ensuing negotiation of the Global Pact.

Developing the Methodology for an Applied, Interdisciplinary Research Project: Documenting the Journey Toward Philosophical Clarity

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 450-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loene M. Howes
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research Project ◽  
Logic Of Inquiry ◽  
Methodological Refinement

Methodologists have urged researchers who use mixed methods to justify their methodological choices and provide greater clarity about the philosophical underpinnings and implications of their approaches. This article outlines the reasoning process undertaken in an endeavor to develop philosophical clarity for an applied, interdisciplinary, mixed methods research project about the communication of scientific evidence in the legal system. I used Greene’s domains of methodology for social inquiry as a framework for addressing reflexive questions about assumptions. Flowing from the domains of values and philosophies, the logic of inquiry was developed before the implications for the integration of findings and reporting of research were outlined. Early engagement in reflexive questioning provided a foundation for methodological refinement throughout the ongoing research journey.

UNGA as the Anchor: Global Environmental Conferencing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nele Matz-Lück ◽  
Liv Christiansen
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Institution Building ◽  
International Environmental Law ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Rules And Principles ◽  
United Nations General Assembly

The global environmental conferences convened by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during the last fifty years have contributed to the development of international environmental law and institution-building. Yet, given the deteriorating state of the global environment they are but one element of international environmental governance. While they were important to bring environmental issues to the attention of states, the time for agenda-setting seems over. Rather the international community must move on to the implementation of existing binding and non-binding rules and principles. While the UNGA continues to play an important role in the context of sustainable development and the Agenda 2030 process and is, indeed a stable platform for international cooperation on environmental issues, it seems that the time for comprehensive global environmental conferences may have come to an end, unless more innovative mechanisms for the implementation of international environmental law and policy are brought forward.

Part II Analytical Approaches, Ch.10 Economics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faure Michael
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Public Good ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Coase Theorem ◽  
Economic Perspective ◽  
International Environmental Law ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Environmental Good

This chapter explains that the starting point for the economic approach to both domestic as well as international environmental law is that environmental problems (including but not limited to environmental pollution) constitute a market failure. From this economic perspective transboundary environmental pollution emerges. Moreover, global environmental quality is, from an economic perspective, a so-called public good of which all states will benefit. But since no state can exclude others from benefitting from this global environmental good, there is a danger of ‘free-riding’ as a result of which this global public good (environmental quality) may be insufficiently produced. These starting points provide a basis for the emergence of international environmental law, more particularly treaty law. However, a classic paradigm in what has become known as the law and economics literature is the Coase Theorem. The chapter then addresses the likelihood of Coasean solutions to emerge as a remedy to transboundary environmental pollution. It also looks at reasons for states to conclude treaties.

scholarly journals ‘The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper’ (WB Yeats): enhancing resilience among deaf young people in South Africa through photography and filmmaking

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 416-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alys Young ◽  
Lorenzo Ferrarini ◽  
Andrew Irving ◽  
Claudine Storbeck ◽  
Robyn Swannack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Young People ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
South African ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
The World ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research Project

This article concerns deaf children and young people living in South Africa who are South African Sign Language users and who participated in an interdisciplinary research project using the medium of teaching film and photography with the goal of enhancing resilience. Specifically, this paper explores three questions that emerged from the deaf young people’s experience and involvement with the project: (i) What is disclosed about deaf young people’s worldmaking through the filmic and photographic modality? (ii) What specific impacts do deaf young people’s ontologically visual habitations of the world have on the production of their film/photographic works? (iii) How does deaf young people’s visual, embodied praxis through film and photography enable resilience? The presentation of findings and related theoretical discussion is organised around three key themes: (i) ‘writing’ into reality through photographic practice, (ii) filmmaking as embodied emotional praxis and (iii) enhancing resilience through visual methodologies. The discussion is interspersed with examples of the young people’s own work.

scholarly journals Coworking, a Way to Achieve Sustainable Mobility? Designing an Interdisciplinary Research Project

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 7161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Lejoux ◽  
Aurore Flipo ◽  
Nathalie Ortar ◽  
Nicolas Ovtracht ◽  
Stéphanie Souche-Lecorvec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Community Research ◽  
Sustainable Mobility ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Mobility Studies ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research Project ◽  
Transportation Studies

Sustainable mobility has been one of the central paradigms of research in the field of transport and mobility for several decades. However, the implications of adopting the concept of “sustainable mobility” for the conduct of interdisciplinary research has been little discussed within the relevant research community. Research in the field of transport and mobility has nevertheless been the setting for major debates in recent years on the question of interdisciplinarity, or even transdisciplinarity, with the emergence of mobility studies as opposed to transportation studies. The objective of this paper is to show, empirically, how researchers who are specialised in mobility and transport issues, but who belong to different disciplines (anthropology, computer science, economics, geomatics, sociology and urban planning) have sought to build an interdisciplinary research project—which is currently ongoing—around the links between the development of coworking, which is a new way of organising work, mobility and sustainability. This paper sets out to highlight cross-fertilisation between disciplines, the issues raised, and the difficulties encountered. As such, it provides an account that is as faithful as possible to our experience of conducting interdisciplinary research in the area of sustainable mobility.

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