Engaging Communities and Researchers in planning for sustainability

György Pataki Environmental Social Science Research Group and Department of Environmental Economics and Technology Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary

Transcript

1. Engaging Communities and Researchers in Planning for Sustainability György Pataki Environmental Social Science Research Group and Department of Environmental Economics and Technology Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary INSITE workshop, January 26-27, 2012, Venezia
2. Issues to be addressed  Academic people re-engaged  Community development, social learning  Lasting impact?
3. The Mezőcsát Micro-Region
4. Main challenges  How to conduct research for sustainability?  How to re-new human–nature relationships?  Who plans whose sustainability?
5. PAR as engaged scholarship  Create democratic changes through action, participation and research  Contribute to scientific understanding through linking practice and reflection  Change existing power structures
6. 1. cycle 2. cycle 1. Qualitative research on landscape values 2.Understanding local perceptions 3. Action planning: researchers’ working groups 4. Actions: 1.Nature Conservation Day 2.Community planning event 5. Reflections 1. Problem formulation with locals: to design a rural development plan 2. Assessment of ideas, problems for RD: • community worker training •in-depth interviews • workshops • survey 3. Action planning: community fora at village and micro- region level 4. Actions: 1.Local products festival 2.Environmental education trail 3.Start to re-activate the old co-operative 5. Reflections
7. 3. cycle 1. Problem formulation based on the 2.cycle: Roma missing from the planning tables, Roma issue neglected 2. Assessment of ideas, problems, power relations: • in-depth interviews • group meetings • transect walks • observations at local events 3. Action planning: -Horticultural garden -Mentoring network of the Roma youth-project proposal -Short documentary film on a local Roma singer -Least-developed region governmental programme planning
8. Some lessons  PAR: beyond knowledge production, emotional and moral engagement  Assuming capacities exist results neglecting disadvantageous groups  Learning to work together, believing in individual and collective capabilities, realising the power with others to make changes (enact social innovation)
9. Contact E-mail: gyorgy.pataki@uni-corvinus.hu Website: http://www.essrg.hu