Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia

Actors engaging in integrated landscape approaches to reconciling conservation and development represent multiple sectors and scales and actors with different powers, resource access, and influence on decision-making. Despite growing acknowledgement, limited evidence exists on the implications of po...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Siangulube, F.S., Ros-Tonen, M.A.F., Reed, J., Djoudi, H., Gumbo, D., Sunderland, T.C.H.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Springer 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131078
_version_ 1855524172227149824
author Siangulube, F.S.
Ros-Tonen, M.A.F.
Reed, J.
Djoudi, H.
Gumbo, D.
Sunderland, T.C.H.
author_browse Djoudi, H.
Gumbo, D.
Reed, J.
Ros-Tonen, M.A.F.
Siangulube, F.S.
Sunderland, T.C.H.
author_facet Siangulube, F.S.
Ros-Tonen, M.A.F.
Reed, J.
Djoudi, H.
Gumbo, D.
Sunderland, T.C.H.
author_sort Siangulube, F.S.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Actors engaging in integrated landscape approaches to reconciling conservation and development represent multiple sectors and scales and actors with different powers, resource access, and influence on decision-making. Despite growing acknowledgement, limited evidence exists on the implications of power relations for landscape governance. Therefore, this paper asks why and how different forms of power unfold and affect the functioning of multi-stakeholder platforms in southern Zambia. Social network analysis and a power influence assessment reveal that all actors exercise some form of visible, hidden, or invisible power in different social spaces to influence decision-making or negotiate a new social order. The intersection of customary and state governance reveals that power imbalances are the product of actors’ social belongingness, situatedness, and settlement histories. We conclude that integrated landscape approaches are potentially suited to balance power by triggering new dynamic social spaces for different power holders to engage in landscape decision-making. However, a power analysis before implementing a landscape approach helps better recognise power differentials and create a basis for marginalised actors to participate in decision-making equally. The paper bears relevance beyond the case, as the methods used to unravel power dynamics in contested landscapes are applicable across the tropics where mixed statutory and customary governance arrangements prevail.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace131078
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher Springer
publisherStr Springer
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1310782023-12-08T19:36:04Z Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia Siangulube, F.S. Ros-Tonen, M.A.F. Reed, J. Djoudi, H. Gumbo, D. Sunderland, T.C.H. landscape conservation governance network analysis Actors engaging in integrated landscape approaches to reconciling conservation and development represent multiple sectors and scales and actors with different powers, resource access, and influence on decision-making. Despite growing acknowledgement, limited evidence exists on the implications of power relations for landscape governance. Therefore, this paper asks why and how different forms of power unfold and affect the functioning of multi-stakeholder platforms in southern Zambia. Social network analysis and a power influence assessment reveal that all actors exercise some form of visible, hidden, or invisible power in different social spaces to influence decision-making or negotiate a new social order. The intersection of customary and state governance reveals that power imbalances are the product of actors’ social belongingness, situatedness, and settlement histories. We conclude that integrated landscape approaches are potentially suited to balance power by triggering new dynamic social spaces for different power holders to engage in landscape decision-making. However, a power analysis before implementing a landscape approach helps better recognise power differentials and create a basis for marginalised actors to participate in decision-making equally. The paper bears relevance beyond the case, as the methods used to unravel power dynamics in contested landscapes are applicable across the tropics where mixed statutory and customary governance arrangements prevail. 2023-03 2023-07-11T08:18:35Z 2023-07-11T08:18:35Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131078 en Open Access Springer Siangulube, F.S., Ros-Tonen, M.A.F., Reed, J., Djoudi, H., Gumbo, D. and Sunderland, T.C.H. (2023). Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia. Regional Environmental Change, 23(1). doi: 10.1007/s10113-023-02031-4
spellingShingle landscape conservation
governance
network analysis
Siangulube, F.S.
Ros-Tonen, M.A.F.
Reed, J.
Djoudi, H.
Gumbo, D.
Sunderland, T.C.H.
Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia
title Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia
title_full Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia
title_fullStr Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia
title_full_unstemmed Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia
title_short Navigating power imbalances in landscape governance: a network and influence analysis in southern Zambia
title_sort navigating power imbalances in landscape governance a network and influence analysis in southern zambia
topic landscape conservation
governance
network analysis
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131078
work_keys_str_mv AT siangulubefs navigatingpowerimbalancesinlandscapegovernanceanetworkandinfluenceanalysisinsouthernzambia
AT rostonenmaf navigatingpowerimbalancesinlandscapegovernanceanetworkandinfluenceanalysisinsouthernzambia
AT reedj navigatingpowerimbalancesinlandscapegovernanceanetworkandinfluenceanalysisinsouthernzambia
AT djoudih navigatingpowerimbalancesinlandscapegovernanceanetworkandinfluenceanalysisinsouthernzambia
AT gumbod navigatingpowerimbalancesinlandscapegovernanceanetworkandinfluenceanalysisinsouthernzambia
AT sunderlandtch navigatingpowerimbalancesinlandscapegovernanceanetworkandinfluenceanalysisinsouthernzambia