Considerations for culturally sensitive traditional ecological knowledge research in wildlife conservation

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is increasingly being applied in the field of wildlife conservation, yet conceptualizations of what TEK is and views regarding whether TEK is science remain diverse and, at times, conflicting in the TEK discourse. Many practical and philosophical challenges come with the pursuit of TEK initiatives, potentially leaving wildlife researchers and managers wondering how to conduct projects effectively and also in a culturally sensitive manner. The consideration of historical and philosophical contexts that affect tribal communities may be beneficial in such cases. I provide a historical context by presenting chronological events of Indian Country in the United States as related to Federal Indian Law in parallel with the development of wildlife management as a profession. Additionally, I explore the philosophical context of TEK as science by discussing Western and Indigenous scientific paradigms and their linkages to TEK. Finally, given these contexts, I provide several suggestions for developing culturally sensitive approaches to TEK research in the wildlife field.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)358-365
Number of pages8
JournalWildlife Society Bulletin
Volume42
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • culturally sensitive
  • Indigenous Science
  • Traditional Ecological Knowledge
  • Western Science
  • wildlife conservation
  • wildlife management

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nature and Landscape Conservation

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