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Responsibilization in natural resources governance: A romantic doxa?

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  • Mustalahti, Irmeli
  • Gutiérrez-Zamora, Violeta
  • Hyle, Maija
  • Devkota, Bishnu Prasad
  • Tokola, Nina

Abstract

In the extensive literature scholars have demonstrated that the goals of power transfer in the decentralization of natural resources governance have not been fully achieved. Powerful actors have maintained their positions of domination, while the interventions have transferred tasks and duties to communities and local decision makers without adequately attending to their capabilities, capacities and resources for natural resources governance. Our research cases from Mexico, Nepal and Tanzania reveal the limits of such responsibilization. We argue that natural resource governance interventions increasingly rely on a new logic that requires citizens, local authorities and communities to be responsible for their own well-being and for resource sustainability. In our case study countries, decentralized forest governance has been a way to demonstrate a “romantic doxa” which national and international actors created via the phenomenon of “responsibilization” something seemingly innocent which has created symbolic violence. In this article, we argue that three aspects capabilities, agency, and level of structures need to be better understood to support locally responsive and collaborative natural resources governance instead of responsibilization in the resources governance. We consider that: 1) the concept of human agency is centrally connected to collaborative and responsive natural resources sustainability transformation processes; 2) the capabilities to exercise human agency need to match the duties, and the duties must be appropriate and moderate with respect to the agents in the natural resources governance and; 3) the governance structures need to be changed so as not only to support human agency to carry out duties but also to ensure capabilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustalahti, Irmeli & Gutiérrez-Zamora, Violeta & Hyle, Maija & Devkota, Bishnu Prasad & Tokola, Nina, 2020. "Responsibilization in natural resources governance: A romantic doxa?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:111:y:2020:i:c:s1389934119302035
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2019.102033
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    5. Basnyat, Bijendra & Treue, Thorsten & Pokharel, Ridish Kumar & Baral, Srijana & Rumba, Yam Bahadur, 2020. "Re-centralisation through fake Scientificness: The case of community forestry in Nepal," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    6. Olatunji A. Shobande & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "The rise and fall of the energy-carbon Kuznets curve: Evidence from Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/069, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    7. Killian, Bernadeta & Hyle, Maija, 2020. "Women's marginalization in participatory forest management: Impacts of responsibilization in Tanzania," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    8. Khanal, Yajnamurti & Devkota, Bishnu Prasad, 2020. "Farmers' responsibilization in payment for environmental services: Lessons from community forestry in Nepal," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    9. Khan, Md Faisal Abedin & Uddin, Md Sazib & Giessen, Lukas, 2021. "Microcredit expansion and informal donor interests: Experiences from local NGOs in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
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