Isaac Hess
Research Mentor(s): Brian Klein
Mentor Department: Afroamerican and African Studies
Authors:
Session: Session 1 (9:00am – 9:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 110
Abstract
Our research focuses on so-called “alternative livelihood†initiatives, conservation programs that aim to provide novel income-generating activities to rural people, and to shift them away from prior practices deemed detrimental to biodiversity protection. Working in the context of Madagascar–a “biodiversity hotspot†and top conservation priority for international actors–we investigate what sort of activities typically comprise “alternative livelihoods†programs; what changes or transformations are being asked of rural Malagasy people; which projects have been considered “successes†or “failures,†and why; and what evaluations and scholarly critiques of these activities might suggest in terms of better conservation models moving forward. To answer these questions, we first have undertaken a review of existing research around the topic, and produced a synthesis aimed at identifying prevailing critiques and potential gaps in the literature. Next, we collected data in the form of project reports from conservation actors , popular media articles, and social media posts found through searches of local Malagasy news sites, social media, Google Scholar, and journalistic sites like Mongabay. We then analyzed these sources and summarized key findings, specifically looking for the overall “success†or “failure†of projects, gaps in analysis, and elements frequently highlighted in existing scholarly critiques, depending on the type of source. Our results include a comprehensive accounting of “alternative livelihood†projects on the island, a synthesis of popular coverage of these programs, and our own original analysis of the multiple facets of “alternative livelihoods†as well as varying media perspectives on the “successes†or “failures†of these programs. Moreover, we identify several potential gaps in literature to consider in future research, and outline key findings meant to assist conservation actors in better navigating, understanding, and identifying successes and failures vis-a-vis the “alternatives livelihoods†approach.
