Power in forest management institutions: A systematic review

Abstract

The comprehension of actors’ power and their manifestations within Forest Management Institutions (FMIs) remains fragmented in the literature. Equally, there are inconsistencies in the methodological approaches employed in studying actors’ power and FMIs. This paper assesses the conceptualization of actors’ power in the literature on FMIs, analyzes the existing literature on how actors shape forest resource use and management outcomes, and evaluates the yet-to-be-filled methodological gaps in the study of power in FMIs. A systematic review of articles comprising 55 empirically conducted studies (87 cases) within the framework of the Actor-centered Power approach in FMIs was performed. The literature was analyzed using directed content analysis. The analysis reveals four key findings: i) there's a growing emphasis on power dynamics in FMIs worldwide, both explicitly and implicitly in the literature; ii) formal actors, like the forest administration, primarily exercise power through coercion, while NGOs and donors rely on incentives and dominant information. Informal actors employ informal dominant information and incentives; iii) positive ecological outcomes in the global north align with formal institutions, while in the global south; formal and informal institutions are linked to these outcomes. Likewise, socioeconomic outcomes demonstrate a blend of positive and negative patterns across regions associated mostly with formal institutions; and iv) finally, the review highlights the underutilization of mixed-methods approaches, with a prevalence of qualitative methods. To conclude, future research avenues should consider post-colonial systems in Africa and/or intricate power structures in Asia while emphasizing the adoption of mixed-methods to fully comprehend power dynamics within FMIs.