Who Sets the Rules? Institutional Misfits and Bricolage in Hunting Management in Brazil

Abstract

Hunting management in Brazil in not regulated by a unique legal framework, but by a combination of national environmental legislation and local rules and norms. Therefore, a multidimensional perspective combining structural and procedural analysis of the different institutional arrangements is necessary for better understanding of this local natural resource management system. We combined three analytical approaches in the study case of hunting management in the Piagacu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS-PP) in the Brazilian Amazon. The institutional analysis of the rules revealed gaps and inconsistencies between different structures and decision levels. The meta-governance analysis indicated incongruities arising from different perceptions and values among stakeholders. Finally, the bricolage analysis revealed hybrid strategies used by local stakeholders and state agents. We conclude that complementarity of analytical frameworks is necessary in order to understand how multiple perceptions and power asymmetries in co-management arenas may influence the dynamics and porosity of such institutional arrangements.