Inducing Sustainable Governance of Natural Resources through Participation: Fashionable or Feasible Strategy?

Abstract

"This paper is a preliminary study of some of the practices to induce self-governance through participation to cope with ecological, economic and social problems related to resource use. Reflecting on these types of practices can contribute to an improved understanding of the relationship between humans and nature and between humans, i.e. processes of participation, collective action and institutional change. The first part of the paper attempts to clarify the relationship between natural resource use, transformation processes and social dilemmas. In part two the notion of participation is discussed. Some practices using participation to induce self-governance are illustrated in part three. In conclusion, reflections regarding the use of participation are presented in part four."