Sustaining Southeast Asia’s Forests: Community, Institution and Forest Governance in Thailand

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satyapriya Rout

The article examines the process of community’s involvement in protection and management of its local forests resources in Thailand. It attempts to examine the role played by the institution in providing a sustainable solution to the problems of deforestation and forest degradation. The article is based upon qualitative data gathered from three cases of community forest management (CFM) from Kanchanaburi, Lampang and Lamphun provinces of Thailand. The analysis is based on Elinor Ostrom’s framework of Institutional Analysis and Development, and empirically examines the rule configurations associated with sustainable governance of local commons resources. The article highlights that along with a robust institutional design at the local level, two other factors such as availability of external assistance and legal backup by the state, create favourable conditions which enhance the institutional performance in commons governance.

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dil B Khatri

In this paper, I argue that the Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and enhancing forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD)+ readiness process in Nepal has reconfigured forest governance in subtle ways and posed risks of its recentralization. Powerful actors, especially the government, consultants and donor entities, have influenced the REDD+ process and policy debates, and have jointly marginalized local communities and civil society organizations (CSOs). This paper reveals that Nepal’s REDD+ architecture is primarily shaped by imperatives and ambiguities in the international negotiations and funding mechanisms. Building on the theoretical frameworks of institutional interplay, cross-scale institutional linkages, and institutional design, this paper analyses how interplay and interactions of national institutions and stakeholders influence the REDD+ readiness process, its emerging institutional architecture, and decentralized forest governance. The analysis has been informed by evidence from the author's own research and engagement in REDD+ policy processes in Nepal. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v10i1.8602   Journal of Forestry and Livelihood Vol.10(1) 2012 74-87


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Torfing ◽  
Eva Sørensen ◽  
Tina Ollgaard Bentzen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study and assess the content, functioning and impact of institutional reforms aiming to enhance collective and holistic political leadership at the level of local government. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct a comparative case study of two Danish frontrunner municipalities drawing on relevant documents and qualitative interviews with both elected politicians and public administrators. Findings The authors found that institutional design is effective in promoting collective and holistic political leadership at the local level, even if no formal design options are available and the municipalities have to invent their own designs. Support both from both councilors and administrators is paramount for successful implementation of local political leadership reforms. Research limitations/implications Due to the purposive selection of a limited number of cases, the findings cannot be generalized to the population from which the cases are drawn. However, other municipalities may learn from and become inspired by the positive impact of the new institutional designs on collective and holistic political leadership. Practical implications Whereas some institutional political leadership reforms aim to enhance the power of the mayor and other reforms aim to create a cabinet or a committee system, the reforms the authors are studying aim to create a space for local councilors to work together across party and sector lines in creating collective and holistic policy solutions. The study shows that it is crucial that local councilors are involved in cross-boundary agenda setting before developing policies in standing committees and endorsing them in the council assembly. Social implications There is a large amount of more or less wicked problems that require the formulation and implementation of innovative policy solutions, which, in turn, call for a clear and determined political leadership. However, local politicians typically suffer from decoupling and tunnel vision. The results show that these problems can be solved through new institutional designs that promote a more collective and holistic political leadership that can take the local community forward. Originality/value Few studies have hitherto addressed the need for institutional reforms enabling collective and holistic political leadership through both theoretical and empirical analyses, but that is exactly what the authors try to accomplish.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Mc Neill ◽  
Laura Mary Campbell ◽  
CP Blanchard

Background: This paper presents an overview of support offered to a hospital information committee by a Hospital Information Committee Support Project (HICSP) in a rural area of South Africa. A specific focus is on the support required at various stages of the project, which was underpinned by Change Theory: any change in practice should be an on-going, phased process (pre-contemplation, contemplation and action). Additionally, change must be seen as having some benefit. Methods: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods evaluation was conducted to determine whether the project had met its aims and to explore participants’ experiences. Quantitative data included: number of meetings held, number of workshops held to develop templates, number of templates developed and in use, and number of action plans developed and implemented. Qualitative data included participants` views of the HICSP. In relation to Change Theory, data was analysed to summarise the type of support required during various stages of the HICSP. Results: Quantitative data revealed that the aims of the HICSP were met. In accordance with Change Theory, support must be regularly provided and must be on-going over a relatively prolonged period of time. Qualitative data illustrated that, generally, the support given was considered to be appropriate and participants continued to collect, analyse, use and monitor data and information on completion of the HICSP. Discussion and conclusions: The need for the strategic use of data at a local level to inform decision making and action is unquestionable. The study demonstrates that in an isolated, rural area an information committee can, in accordance with the stages of Change Theory, be supported and empowered so that hospital and nursing managers can confidently use data in a way that is locally meaningful and responsive.


Asian Survey ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satyajit Singh

This paper examines decentralized reform initiatives in the Indian rural water sector from a policy perspective as well as from a political perspective focused on institutional design and implementation at the local level. It argues that normative economic prescriptions regarding decentralization are not very useful. The paper finds that the institutional architecture for decentralized reforms is highly contested and requires a better understanding of power and the role of micro-politics in shaping decentralization designs and outcomes. It also suggests that greater devolution in the water sector can lead to greater decentralization and democratization across sectors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Adatin Filla Wahida ◽  
Heny Triyaningsih

Abstrak Media merupakan komponen yang berpengaruh terhadap pelestarian sekaligus perkembangan budaya suatu daerah. Melalui media, budaya terjaga kelestariannya dan dapat diperkenalkan kepada khalayak. Namun, era digital dan perkembangan teknologi informasi dikhawatirkan mengikis budaya lokal dari segi program atau konten yang dibawa. Peranan penting dalam pelestarian budaya pada tingkat lokal seperti Madura, adalah melalui radio daerah salah satunya adalah radio Karimata, Pamekasan. Dalam hal ini menjadi penting untuk radio lokal mengemas program yang mendukung pelestarian budaya lokal. Untuk mengetahui strategi Radio Karimata, sebagai salah satu radio dalam melestarikan budaya di Madura digunakan metode kualitatif, data yang diperoleh dengan cara observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Data tersebut dianalisis dengan analisis data kualitatif deskriptif, dan dicek keabsahannya dengan triangulasi sumber dan metode. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa program siaran yang mendukung pelestarian budaya di Madura adalah program bingkai Madura yang dikemas dalam bentuk Feature. Beberapa strategi yang digunakan radio Karimata Pamekasan dalam melestarikan budaya Madura melalui program siarannya, adalah, menyajikan program yang berbeda dengan radio lainnya serta memperbanyak topik, menjadikan program tersebut program unggulan dari program yang ada, menggali informasi dari masyarakat ataupun pendengar dengan cara membuat rekaman singkat yang bersentuhan dengan budaya sekitar, dan menyajikan acara pada platform media sosial seperti ke laman facebook dan laman web radio Karimata Pamekasan. Abstract Media is a component that influences the preservation and development of a region’s culture. Through the media, the culture is preserved and can be introduced to the public. However, it is feared that the digital era and the development of information technology will erode local culture in trems of the programs or content carried. An important role in cultural preservation at the local level such as Madura, is through regional radio, one of which is the Karimata radio, Pamekasan. In the case, it is important for local radio to package programs that support the preservation of local culture. To find out the radio Karimata strategy as one of the radios in preserving culture in Madura, qualitative methods were used, the data were obtained by means of observation, interviews, and documentation. The data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative data analysis, and the validity was checked by triangulation of sources and methods. The results of this study indicate that the broadcast program that supports cultural preservation in Madura is a Madura frame program tha is packaged in the from of a Feature. Some of the strategies used by Karimata Pamekasan radio in preserving Madura culture through its broadcast programs are presenting programs that are different from other radios and multiplying topics, making the program the flagship program of existing programs, gathering information from the public or listeners by making short recordings that touch with the surrounding culture, and present events on social media platfroms such as the facebook page and the Karimata Pamekasan radio web page.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo Freire ◽  
Umberto Guarnier Mignozzetti ◽  
David Skarbek

Which institutional features do Latin American elites favor for local climate change policies? Climate change mitigation requires active local level implementation, but it remains unclear which institutional arrangements maximize support for environmental rules. In this paper, we run a conjoint experiment with elite members of 10 Latin American countries and ask respondents to evaluate institutional designs drawn from a pool of 5,500 possible local climate governance arrangements. We find that Latin American elites prefer international organizations to formulate climate policies, support imposing increasing fines on violators, and favor renewing agreements every five years. We also find that elites support both international institutions and local courts to mediate conflicts, but they distrust non-governmental organizations and reject informal norms as a means of conflict resolution. Our results identify possible challenges in crafting local climate mitigation policies and offer new insights about how to integrate local and international levels in environmental agreements.


2021 ◽  
pp. 001083672110594
Author(s):  
Sara Hellmüller

Peace research has taken a local turn. Yet, conceptual ambiguities, risks of romanticization, and critiques of co-option of the “local” point to the need to look for novel ways to think about the interactions of actors ranging from the global to the local level. Gearoid Millar proposes a trans-scalar approach to peace based on a “consistency of purpose” and a “parity of esteem” for actors across scales. This article analyzes the concept of trans-scalarity in the peace process in Ituri, a province in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Drawing on qualitative data from more than a year of research in the DRC, I argue that while a trans-scalar approach was taken to end violence, it was not applied to transitional justice initiatives. The result was a negative, rather than a positive peace. By showing the high, but still untapped, potential of trans-scalarity, the article makes three contributions. First, it advances the debate on the local turn by adding empirical insights on trans-scalarity and further developing the concept’s theoretical foundations. Second, it provides novel empirical insights on the transitional justice process in the DRC. Third, it links scholarship on peacebuilding and transitional justice, which have often remained disconnected.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Rony Kriswibowo ◽  
Fatwa Ramdani ◽  
Ismiarta Aknuranda

Disaster management is important to reduce the risk casualties as well as the environment and economic impacts. One of the stakeholders in disaster management in Indonesia at the local level is the Regional Disaster Management Agency (Badan Pengelolaan Bencana Daerah – BPBD).  In the process of disaster management, there are several phases. Thi initial phase is known as the prevention phase, which is an attempt to eliminate or reduce the possibility of a threat. In this phase, the role of information technology is important to increase the efficiency in disaster management. One of the information technologies that is used widely in disaster management is the Geographic Information System (GIS). This study explores the role of GIS technology employed at BPBD of Batu City in disaster management. The Research Qualitative Data Analysis (RQDA) method is employed based on the questionnaire data. The results show that the role of GIS technology is very limited. The disaster management at the Batu City is mostly done by the traditional method with the manual approach. The role of technology is limited it needs to be improved. Suggestions for increasing the role of technology is to conduct training on the use of GIS for employees. It is expected to increase the role of technology in disaster management.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sizwile Khoza

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the local conceptualisation of gender and framings of men and masculinities at the local level, which may be applied to improve gender mainstreaming in smallholder farming.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data were collected from a total of 70 key informants and community members knowledgeable about climate change and smallholder agriculture, disaster risks, gender and broader community issues in Malawi and Zambia. The thematic analysis was used to identify the themes emerging from the qualitative data.FindingsPractitioners apply western framings of gender while communities consider their realities and contexts and emphasise that gender means men and women need to work together. Although institutional provisions are in place for gender mainstreaming, practitioners have cautioned against the influence of the global north in gender mainstreaming, which ignores local realities. Applying a masculinities lens at a local level established the existence of subordinate and marginalised men often excluded from interventions and how hierarchical relationships among men limited women's participation.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research, practice and policy initiatives in disaster risk reduction and resilience-building need to engage with positive masculinities in gender mainstreaming. This work stimulates a broader framing of gender that builds on the core values and perspectives of communities.Practical implicationsContemporary gender mainstreaming approaches need to consider local contextualisation of gender, emphasising the critical aspect of cooperation between women and men in overcoming climate-related hazards and risk reduction.Originality/valueThis work contributes to the nascent discourse on local gender perspectives and masculinities in disaster risk reduction and resilience in Southern Africa.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divine O. Appiah ◽  
John T. Bugri ◽  
Eric K. Forkuo ◽  
Sampson Yamba

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation with other benefits (REDD+) mechanism is supposed to address the reversal of forest-based land degradation, conservation of existing carbon stocks, and enhancement of carbon sequestration. The Bosomtwe District is predominantly agrarian with potentials for climate change mitigation through REDD+ mechanism among smallholder farmers. The limited knowledge and practices of this strategy among farmers are limiting potentials of mitigating climate change. This paper assesses the REDD+ potentials among smallholder farmers in the district. Using a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative design, 152 farmer-respondents were purposively sampled and interviewed, using snowballing method from 12 communities. Quantitative data gathered were subjected to the tools of contingency and frequencies analysis, embedded in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.16. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results indicate that respondents have knowledge of REDD+ but not the intended benefit sharing regimes that can accrue to the smallholder farmers. Farmers’ willingness to practice REDD+ will be based on the motivation and incentive potentials of the strategies. The Forestry Services Division should promote the practice of REDD+ among smallholder farmers through education, to whip and sustain interest in the strategy.


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