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Water Governance - The Case of the Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee

Rivas, Thea LU (2025) MIDM19 20241
Department of Human Geography
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract (Swedish)
Vatten är en livsviktig men samtidigt alltmer omstridd resurs, särskilt i områden där ekologisk sårbarhet möter konkurrerande socioekonomiska behov. Denna avhandling analyserar styrningsdynamiken inom Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee i Cuenca, Ecuador – en flerpartsplattform där offentliga institutioner, lokala myndigheter, akademin och sektoriella aktörer samverkar för att skydda ett kritiskt högandinskt avrinningsområde. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer med kommittémedlemmar som representerar olika institutionella mandat och intressen. Analysen utgår från stakeholderteori och politisk ekologi, vilket möjliggör en fördjupad förståelse av hur aktörers motivationer, principer för hållbar... (More)
Vatten är en livsviktig men samtidigt alltmer omstridd resurs, särskilt i områden där ekologisk sårbarhet möter konkurrerande socioekonomiska behov. Denna avhandling analyserar styrningsdynamiken inom Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee i Cuenca, Ecuador – en flerpartsplattform där offentliga institutioner, lokala myndigheter, akademin och sektoriella aktörer samverkar för att skydda ett kritiskt högandinskt avrinningsområde. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer med kommittémedlemmar som representerar olika institutionella mandat och intressen. Analysen utgår från stakeholderteori och politisk ekologi, vilket möjliggör en fördjupad förståelse av hur aktörers motivationer, principer för hållbar utveckling och maktrelationer samspelar inom en decentraliserad styrningskontext. Resultaten visar att deltagandet formas av sammanflätade miljömässiga, socioekonomiska, politiska och institutionella drivkrafter, präglade av respektive aktörs mandat och resurser. Även om kommittén bidrar till ökad samverkan begränsas beslutsfattandet av maktobalanser, institutionella hierarkier och resursmässiga skillnader, vilket hämmar den praktiska tillämpningen av hållbar utveckling. Studien lyfter fram behovet av mer forskning om liknande kommittéer i Latinamerika för att fördjupa förståelsen av de faktiska dynamikerna i vattenstyrning i regionen. (Less)
Abstract
Water is an essential yet increasingly contested resource, particularly in regions where ecological vulnerability intersects with competing socio-economic demands. This thesis examines the governance dynamics of the Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee in Cuenca, Ecuador — a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together public institutions, local governments, academia, and sectoral actors to safeguard a critical high-Andean watershed. Drawing on a qualitative research design, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with committee members representing diverse institutional mandates and interests. The analysis is framed by stakeholder theory and political ecology, allowing for an exploration of how stakeholder motivations,... (More)
Water is an essential yet increasingly contested resource, particularly in regions where ecological vulnerability intersects with competing socio-economic demands. This thesis examines the governance dynamics of the Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee in Cuenca, Ecuador — a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together public institutions, local governments, academia, and sectoral actors to safeguard a critical high-Andean watershed. Drawing on a qualitative research design, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with committee members representing diverse institutional mandates and interests. The analysis is framed by stakeholder theory and political ecology, allowing for an exploration of how stakeholder motivations, sustainable development principles, and power relations interact within a decentralised governance context. Findings show that stakeholder participation stems from intertwined environmental, socio-economic, political, and institutional interests, shaped by each actor’s mandate and resources. Although the committee fosters collaboration, decision-making is constrained by power imbalances, institutional hierarchies, and resource gaps, limiting the practical realisation of sustainable development principles. The study highlights the need for more research of similar committees in Latin America to better understand the real-life dynamics of water governance in the region. (Less)
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author
Rivas, Thea LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Water Governance, Water Management, Watershed Ecology, Decentralization of Resource Management, Sustainable Development, SDG6, Stakeholder Theory, Political Ecology, Global South, Latin America, Ecuador. Vattenstyrning, Vattenförvaltning, Resursförvaltning, Hållbar utveckling
language
English
id
9211793
date added to LUP
2025-10-14 15:59:57
date last changed
2025-10-14 15:59:57
@misc{9211793,
  abstract     = {{Water is an essential yet increasingly contested resource, particularly in regions where ecological vulnerability intersects with competing socio-economic demands. This thesis examines the governance dynamics of the Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee in Cuenca, Ecuador — a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together public institutions, local governments, academia, and sectoral actors to safeguard a critical high-Andean watershed. Drawing on a qualitative research design, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with committee members representing diverse institutional mandates and interests. The analysis is framed by stakeholder theory and political ecology, allowing for an exploration of how stakeholder motivations, sustainable development principles, and power relations interact within a decentralised governance context. Findings show that stakeholder participation stems from intertwined environmental, socio-economic, political, and institutional interests, shaped by each actor’s mandate and resources. Although the committee fosters collaboration, decision-making is constrained by power imbalances, institutional hierarchies, and resource gaps, limiting the practical realisation of sustainable development principles. The study highlights the need for more research of similar committees in Latin America to better understand the real-life dynamics of water governance in the region.}},
  author       = {{Rivas, Thea}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Water Governance - The Case of the Machángara Watershed Conservation Committee}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}