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Pockets of Hope, Pockets of Power. Exploring the potential of benefit-sharing mechanisms to reduce water conflicts in the Coello watershed

Nowak, Andreea Cristina LU (2013) MIDM71 20131
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Watersheds are patchy landscapes, hard to understand and deal with. Previous scholarship investigated various institutional arrangements to tackle classical problems related to the overuse, misuse and mismanagement of water resources. While studies eloquently identified conditions under which individuals cooperate and avoid a “tragedy of the commons” scenario, they hardly scrutinized the role of power in designing and maintaining these arrangements. Using an analytical model inspired by political ecology and new institutionalism thinking, this study suggests a more subtle and profound analysis of how watershed arrangements have the potential to affect power dynamics and thus address water conflicts. By means of a case study in the Coello... (More)
Watersheds are patchy landscapes, hard to understand and deal with. Previous scholarship investigated various institutional arrangements to tackle classical problems related to the overuse, misuse and mismanagement of water resources. While studies eloquently identified conditions under which individuals cooperate and avoid a “tragedy of the commons” scenario, they hardly scrutinized the role of power in designing and maintaining these arrangements. Using an analytical model inspired by political ecology and new institutionalism thinking, this study suggests a more subtle and profound analysis of how watershed arrangements have the potential to affect power dynamics and thus address water conflicts. By means of a case study in the Coello watershed, Colombia, and through qualitative empirical data, the research reveals how power is embedded and shifted in watershed interactions. It also explores how landscapes of power are redefined with the creation of benefit-sharing mechanisms (BSMs), as new institutional arrangements. The study further demonstrates that this theoretically-triangulated approach offers a more holistic understanding of biophysical and social systems such as watersheds, an invaluable point of departure for designing appropriate answers for current environmental, social and economic challenges. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nowak, Andreea Cristina LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM71 20131
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
watershed management, power, political ecology, new institutionalism, benefit-sharing mechanisms
language
English
id
3798734
date added to LUP
2013-12-04 09:48:41
date last changed
2013-12-04 09:48:41
@misc{3798734,
  abstract     = {{Watersheds are patchy landscapes, hard to understand and deal with. Previous scholarship investigated various institutional arrangements to tackle classical problems related to the overuse, misuse and mismanagement of water resources. While studies eloquently identified conditions under which individuals cooperate and avoid a “tragedy of the commons” scenario, they hardly scrutinized the role of power in designing and maintaining these arrangements. Using an analytical model inspired by political ecology and new institutionalism thinking, this study suggests a more subtle and profound analysis of how watershed arrangements have the potential to affect power dynamics and thus address water conflicts. By means of a case study in the Coello watershed, Colombia, and through qualitative empirical data, the research reveals how power is embedded and shifted in watershed interactions. It also explores how landscapes of power are redefined with the creation of benefit-sharing mechanisms (BSMs), as new institutional arrangements. The study further demonstrates that this theoretically-triangulated approach offers a more holistic understanding of biophysical and social systems such as watersheds, an invaluable point of departure for designing appropriate answers for current environmental, social and economic challenges.}},
  author       = {{Nowak, Andreea Cristina}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Pockets of Hope, Pockets of Power. Exploring the potential of benefit-sharing mechanisms to reduce water conflicts in the Coello watershed}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}