strengthening links between anthropologists and system dynamicists: participatory group modelling...
TRANSCRIPT
Strengthening links between
anthropologists and system
dynamicists:
participatory group modelling
and natural resources
Carol J. Pierce Colfer & Richard G. Dudley Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia)
Cornell Institute for International Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD, Ithaca, New York)
Outline of Talk
Rationale
Sample barriers to gaining accurate views from
marginalised stakeholders
System dynamics ‘requirements’ for participatory
modelling
Added complications in the rural developing world
Key steps in facilitation process
Suggestions for techniques
Relevance of participatory approaches
Utility of system dynamics for addressing global
problems
Difficulties of gaining input from the disempowered
Also:
Urgency of climate change (and relevance of system
dynamics)
2011 – The Year of the Forest
Rationale 1:
Why do we care
about marginalised people?
They live on the land
They make everyday
decisions about the land
They use land resources
to survive
…….. a day to day struggle.
Basically, they know what is really going on.
Rationale 2:
Sample Barriers to Gaining
Real World Views
Pygmies in Central Africa – stakeholder Identification
Junior Indonesian ACM team members – cultural and
structural constraints
Shangwe in Zimbabwe villages – ethnic and linguistic
communication barriers
Melayu woman in Borneo – gender barriers
Plantation workers in South Africa – the powerful
inhibit the less powerful
For Participatory Modelling 1
Pragmatic aspects (e.g. purpose of meeting and
agenda; needed equipment on hand; context with
few distractions)
Facilitation (establishing rapport; series of meetings;
open, semi-circular seating; ‘group memory’ -
evidence of the group’s thoughts and progress)
1 from Richardson & Andersen 1995; Vennix 1996; van den Belt 2004;
Vanclay, Prabhu & Sinclair 2006
System Dynamics Standard Practice Recommends:
Desired Attitudes & Skills (see Vennix 1996)
Attitudes
a helping attitude
authenticity and integrity
an inquiring mind
an air of neutrality
Skills
Appropriate feedback
Positive reinforcement
System Dynamics Standard Practice Recommends:
Roles (Richardson & Andersen 1995)
Facilitator
Recorder
Content coach
Process coach
Gatekeeper
[five people or combined?]
System Dynamics Standard Practice Recommends:
Added Complications in Rural
Developing World Settings
Complexity of stakeholders
Overlapping and differing
sociopolitical structures
Gender barriers and
differences
Extreme power differences
among participants
Illiteracy
High levels of conflict
These are of key potential importance for
climate change programs, such as:
NAPA (National Adaptation Programs for
Action)
REDD++ (Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and forest Degradation)
Implications for Developing World
Participatory Modelling (4 slides)
Practical Considerations
Logistical complexities magnify (transport,
subsistence trade-offs, electricity, infrastructure++)
Implications for work in the developing world (1/4):
Need more time (to
acquaint villagers with
goals, procedures, and
obtain their ideas)
Cultural sensitivity may
be more crucial
Villager in Gabon expresses
his anger about local politics
Witness facilitates Zimbabwean farmer
meeting on a convenient hill
• ‘Comfortable locale’ - may mean in a village
Implications for work in the developing world (2/4):
Colfer with villager-collaborators in Sumatra
Changes in Key Steps
Identifying stakeholders – may require more effort
Decision about how to provide functions described
by Richardson & Andersen 1995
Obtain facilitation expertise
Some key facilitation points:
Learn to listen and observe social behaviour
Monitor and manage power imbalances
Implications for work in the developing world (3/4):
Some Steps in Facilitation
…with the marginalised in mind
Begin by getting group feedback, including ‘hopes
and fears’ for the meetings
Decide what meeting format will provide the most
input from those marginalized.
Manage domineering and silent members (talking
stick, ‘yellow/red card’, tossing a ball to speaker)
Implications for work in the developing world (4/4):
Sample Techniques
to Help Include the Marginalised
Fishbowl
Future scenarios
Line on the floor
Solve my problem
World Café
Ideas:
Solve my problem - Kyrgyzstan
A multi-stakeholder group
in Borneo presents their
drawing of factors
affecting health
A Tanzanian community
envisions their future
Principles about Group Process - 1
Smaller, like-minded groups encourage
freer participation [with report-backs to
the larger group]---early on
Diverse groups are useful for sharing of
perspectives and developing shared,
holistic analyses---as model evolves
People are more at ease, more
communicative, in familiar settings
Principles about Group Process - 2
Effective facilitation overcomes interaction
difficulties
The facilitator/modeler ‘suspends assumptions’ to
understand, then brings together divergent views
into a model
Sincere respect for participants, their cultural
systems and their opinions ‘comes across’,
encourages honest sharing of views
Conclusions
Urgent natural resource problems confront us, not
least those related to climate change
System dynamics modelling can help address these
problems
Issues of justice and human rights dictate more
effective inclusion of the marginalised
We hope system dynamics practitioners can both
address natural resource and climate change
problems, and work toward including all relevant
perspectives more effectively.
Questions? or Comments?
Read the related paper
Strengthening links between anthropologists
and system dynamicists: participatory group
modelling and natural resources
Contact
Carol Colfer: [email protected]
Richard Dudley: [email protected]