Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry
Whilst political ecology scholarship has contributed much to articulating social injustices associated with Nepal's community forestry, here we took a different approach, by attempting an 'affirmative political ecology.' We drew on feminist and activist scholarship to inspire collecti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Arizona Libraries
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Political Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/5598/ |
| _version_ | 1797253615299067904 |
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| author | Anita Shrestha Clare Barnes Dibya Devi Gurung Gael Robertson Gitta Shrestha Kaustuv Raj Neupane Mala Rai Rachana Upadhyaya Sam Staddon Sanjaya Khatri Sarita Lama Sohan Lal Shrestha Srijana Shrestha Suchita Shrestha Sunil Pariyar Kumar |
| author_facet | Anita Shrestha Clare Barnes Dibya Devi Gurung Gael Robertson Gitta Shrestha Kaustuv Raj Neupane Mala Rai Rachana Upadhyaya Sam Staddon Sanjaya Khatri Sarita Lama Sohan Lal Shrestha Srijana Shrestha Suchita Shrestha Sunil Pariyar Kumar |
| author_sort | Anita Shrestha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Whilst political ecology scholarship has contributed much to articulating social injustices associated with Nepal's community forestry, here we took a different approach, by attempting an 'affirmative political ecology.' We drew on feminist and activist scholarship to inspire collective action that engaged directly with challenges of social justice and those charged with delivering it through their work. Guided by theories and practices of 'transformative learning' and a range of associated reflective practices, our participatory action research involved 4 facilitators and (up to) 25 participants who work across Nepal's forest bureaucracy (and for some, the wider community-based natural resource management sector). Together physically, remotely and through our writing, we reflect upon the operation of power in our professional – and personal – lives, exploring how that may enable a more informed and meaningful engagement with social justice within the workplace, and beyond. This article presents the process of our collective reflection and learning, and shares some of its initial outcomes based on the experiences of the 15 co-authors. Whilst 'simply' having the time and space to come together was hugely important, it was the form and feel of that space that was particularly significant, as we focused on co-creating a safe space which was non-judgmental and based on mutual respect, enabling comfortable and open discussion of often unspoken and uncomfortable issues. Ultimately, this article argues that collective practices of reflection and transformative learning can create shared learning, understanding, empathy and solidarity, and thus that it offers hope in the face of on-going social injustices. It therefore urges political ecologists to work towards such caring and affirmative collective engagements with practitioners as one way in which to affect change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:36:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0081aabfb0e1406b9a808130c59f859b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1073-0451 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:36:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Arizona Libraries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Political Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0081aabfb0e1406b9a808130c59f859b2024-03-21T17:18:10ZengUniversity of Arizona LibrariesJournal of Political Ecology1073-04512023-12-0130110.2458/jpe.5598Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestryAnita ShresthaClare Barnes0Dibya Devi GurungGael RobertsonGitta ShresthaKaustuv Raj NeupaneMala RaiRachana UpadhyayaSam Staddon1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9449-8764Sanjaya Khatri2Sarita LamaSohan Lal Shrestha3Srijana Shrestha4Suchita ShresthaSunil Pariyar Kumar5University of EdinburghGeosciences, University of EdinburghSouthasia Institute of Advanced StudiesRupantaranMinistry of Forests and EnvironmentDalit Alliance for Natural Resources (DANAR)Whilst political ecology scholarship has contributed much to articulating social injustices associated with Nepal's community forestry, here we took a different approach, by attempting an 'affirmative political ecology.' We drew on feminist and activist scholarship to inspire collective action that engaged directly with challenges of social justice and those charged with delivering it through their work. Guided by theories and practices of 'transformative learning' and a range of associated reflective practices, our participatory action research involved 4 facilitators and (up to) 25 participants who work across Nepal's forest bureaucracy (and for some, the wider community-based natural resource management sector). Together physically, remotely and through our writing, we reflect upon the operation of power in our professional – and personal – lives, exploring how that may enable a more informed and meaningful engagement with social justice within the workplace, and beyond. This article presents the process of our collective reflection and learning, and shares some of its initial outcomes based on the experiences of the 15 co-authors. Whilst 'simply' having the time and space to come together was hugely important, it was the form and feel of that space that was particularly significant, as we focused on co-creating a safe space which was non-judgmental and based on mutual respect, enabling comfortable and open discussion of often unspoken and uncomfortable issues. Ultimately, this article argues that collective practices of reflection and transformative learning can create shared learning, understanding, empathy and solidarity, and thus that it offers hope in the face of on-going social injustices. It therefore urges political ecologists to work towards such caring and affirmative collective engagements with practitioners as one way in which to affect change.http://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/5598/social justicetransformative learningaffirmative political ecologypractitionersaction research |
| spellingShingle | Anita Shrestha Clare Barnes Dibya Devi Gurung Gael Robertson Gitta Shrestha Kaustuv Raj Neupane Mala Rai Rachana Upadhyaya Sam Staddon Sanjaya Khatri Sarita Lama Sohan Lal Shrestha Srijana Shrestha Suchita Shrestha Sunil Pariyar Kumar Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry Journal of Political Ecology social justice transformative learning affirmative political ecology practitioners action research |
| title | Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry |
| title_full | Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry |
| title_fullStr | Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry |
| title_short | Attempting affirmative political ecologies: Collective transformative learning for social justice in Nepal's community forestry |
| title_sort | attempting affirmative political ecologies collective transformative learning for social justice in nepal s community forestry |
| topic | social justice transformative learning affirmative political ecology practitioners action research |
| url | http://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/5598/ |
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