Struggles over conservation space : Social justice in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa
Författare
Summary, in Swedish
Popular Abstract in English
“We are not free in this area.”
This is what the iNduna, a traditional leader at KwaDapha, shared with me when we first met in August 2011. KwaDapha is a small rural community at Bhanga Nek, Kosi Bay, in northern KwaZulu-Natal/Maputaland – one of the most scenic areas on the South African coastline. Kosi Bay falls within the Coastal Forest Reserve section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a state-led ‘development for conservation’ project, and UNESCO World Heritage site. The iNduna was referring to conflicts over conservation space, since the proclamation of the park in 2000. Conflicts over fencing have led to local people ignoring rules for access, cutting fences and even burning down gates – illustrating local concerns with delimited access to natural resources inside the park. Local people, who have been engaged in unauthorized tourism development at KwaDapha, have been faced with both civil and criminal court action taken by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. This thesis discusses social justice in protected area conservation in South Africa, through a focus on state power in its relational engagement with local space. Ultimately, processes that help to explain why the South African government is not living up to the promise of social justice in protected area conservation – are explored.
“We are not free in this area.”
This is what the iNduna, a traditional leader at KwaDapha, shared with me when we first met in August 2011. KwaDapha is a small rural community at Bhanga Nek, Kosi Bay, in northern KwaZulu-Natal/Maputaland – one of the most scenic areas on the South African coastline. Kosi Bay falls within the Coastal Forest Reserve section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a state-led ‘development for conservation’ project, and UNESCO World Heritage site. The iNduna was referring to conflicts over conservation space, since the proclamation of the park in 2000. Conflicts over fencing have led to local people ignoring rules for access, cutting fences and even burning down gates – illustrating local concerns with delimited access to natural resources inside the park. Local people, who have been engaged in unauthorized tourism development at KwaDapha, have been faced with both civil and criminal court action taken by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. This thesis discusses social justice in protected area conservation in South Africa, through a focus on state power in its relational engagement with local space. Ultimately, processes that help to explain why the South African government is not living up to the promise of social justice in protected area conservation – are explored.
Avdelning/ar
Publiceringsår
2014
Språk
Engelska
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Lund Dissertations in Sustainability Science
Volym
7
Fulltext
Dokumenttyp
Doktorsavhandling
Förlag
Lund University
Ämne
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Nyckelord
- Agency
- capabilities
- human development
- the politics of sustainability
- the production of space
- protected areas
- rights and resistance
- South Africa
- struggles
Status
Published
Handledare
- Stefan Anderberg
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISBN: 978-91-979832-4-2
Försvarsdatum
27 februari 2014
Försvarstid
10:15
Försvarsplats
Geocentrum II, room Pangea, Sölvegatan 12, Lund
Opponent
- Knut Nustad (Associate professor)