Alternative perspectives : A bright side of natural resource governance in drylands

• Governance of natural resources in the drylands has often been studied from the perspective of failure, using assumptions of degradation, disequilibrium, and marginalization. Yet a growing body of literature engages with the study of outcomes that are considered positive, providing examples and explanations of cases where conflicts related to natural resource use have been adequately addressed by adapting existing or constructing new institutions of governance. Based on literature providing empirical case studies, this chapter discusses the conditions of four such cases, using the six elements of the constitutionality approach. Based on these cases we provide insight into positive examples of local institution building to improve natural resource governance. Our main cross-case findings show that, in order for institution-building processes to be labelled by local actors as positive, there is a need—besides the support of external catalyzing agents and institutional memory and recognition—for self-determination as an important element in claiming space to actively engage with the institution-building process.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Social och ekonomisk geografi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Social and Economic Geography (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kap (subject category)