Values, knowledge and indigenous peoples

Background/Question/Methods

Collaboration between Native and non-Native natural resource managers and stakeholders is receiving increasing attention in academic literatures and in practice. One crucial issue is how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) should be integrated into participatory processes. What impressions should non-Natives have of TEK? How should TEK be blended with scientific ecological knowledge (SEK)? How should decision-making structures balance non-Native and Native participation? I will focus on the first question in this presentation. There are still many false impressions of TEK to be found in scholarly literature, scientific studies, and the opinions expressed by individuals. I will argue that those who are unfamiliar with or do not hold TEK should approach it openly by accepting the following positions. First, TEK emerges from a different actionability context and this makes it hard to form expectations about what TEK holders will suggest, reference, or do. Second, TEK holders may be under varying political circumstances that should be respected.      

Results/Conclusions

This is a philosophical presentation.