Understanding social-ecological change and transformation through community perceptions of system identity

Mark Andrachuk,Derek Armitage

doi:10.5751/es-07759-200426

Abstract

We developed an empirical approach to consider social-ecological system change and transformation by drawing on resource users’ knowledge and perceptions. We applied this approach in the Cau Hai lagoon, a coastal area dominated by small-scale fisheries in central Vietnam. Nine focus groups with more than 70 fishers were used to gather information about key social-ecological system elements and interactions, historical social-ecological dynamics, and possible thresholds between distinct social-ecological system identities. The patterns of change in livelihoods and resource exploitation in the Cau Hai lagoon are similar to those seen in other coastal lagoon and small-scale fishery contexts. Our findings show some promise for the use of local knowledge and the perceptions of resource user communities to understand and characterize social-ecological transformations. Importantly, however, we also demonstrate how social-ecological transformations are complicated processes driven by many factors beyond the control of any singular individual or group. We argue that (1) the occurrence of social-ecological transformations can result in either positive or negative outcomes and (2) that we need to direct our thinking away from drawing tidy conclusions about if and when social-ecological transformations take place. Our research also encourages scholars to carefully consider how we frame the benefits of participatory, community-based governance initiatives. Importantly, we need to examine the ways that governance initiatives will be beneficial for some people and detrimental for others, and we need to be fully aware of locally contested interests and acknowledge competing priorities for fisheries management and human well-being. Community-oriented assessments informed by resilience thinking can help to open up questions about economic, political, cultural, and environmental aspects of undesirable path dependencies and traps.

Highlights

The concept of transformations provides an enticing language for interdisciplinary environmental change and resource management scholars (e.g., Gelcich et al 2010, O’Brien 2012)
Our findings show some promise for the use of local knowledge and the perceptions of resource user communities to understand and characterize social-ecological transformations
Object of transformation We defined the scope of the social-ecological systems (SESs) as the lagoon and surrounding land, and administratively as the commune, district, and provincial government agencies that correspond to the Cau Hai lagoon

Summary

Introduction

The concept of transformations provides an enticing language for interdisciplinary environmental change and resource management scholars (e.g., Gelcich et al 2010, O’Brien 2012). We explore some questions that are often overlooked in transformations literature: How can we empirically know if a transformation has occurred? These subjective dimensions of transformations research bring attention to the ways that people perceive SESs (e.g., system boundaries, feedback) and how these perceptions influence what we think of as real or potential transformations. Our approach draws on fishers’ perceptions of system identity to consider long-term SES change (Cumming et al 2005, Robinson and Berkes 2010). We apply this approach in the Cau Hai lagoon in central Vietnam to reflect on the ways that local fishery-based livelihoods both contribute to and are impacted by a socialecological transformation

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion