Local Knowledge and Management of Natural Resources
Code: 101273 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | OT | 3 |
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Miquel Figueras Moreu
- Email:
- miquel.figueras@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
It is recommended to have taken the course Culture Nature and Development and Anthropology and Sociocultural Intervention
Objectives and Contextualisation
Fourth year course, it is part of the specialized field in Culture and Environment that will allow the student to acquire competences in this professional field. The starting point is ethnographic and ontological criticism in the dichotomy nature -culture.
The course maintains links with other subjects such as Culture, Nature and Development, Ethnographic Approach to Cultural Diversity, Ethnographic Texts and Audio-visuals, Anthropology and Sociocultural Intervention, Sociocultural Anthropology, and links with Development and Sustainability issues, and Human Ecology.
The Descriptor contemplates: addressing the study of practices, beliefs and traditional knowledge related to the management of natural resources, the historically used technological systems and their effects on the territory, evaluating the possibility of incorporating or preserving certain cultural models in 'Proper use and enjoyment of natural spaces.
The training objectives will lead to the students being able to:
Ask yourself questions about the relationship between nature and society over time and in different cultures. Express comparative views between Western society and the so-called "ethnographic societies" Analyse texts, documents, exhibitions and audio-visuals considered in the program.
Competences
- Social and Cultural Anthropology
- Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
- Apprehending cultural diversity through ethnography and critically assessing ethnographic materials as knowledge of local contexts and as a proposal of theoretical models.
- Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
- Demonstrate skills for working autonomously or in teams to achieve the planned objectives including in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
- Introduce changes in the methods and processes of the field of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
- Producing cultural diversity materials that could have a critical impact on the common sense conceptions.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history of anthropological theory and the genesis of its basic concepts.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Use digital tools and critically interpret specific documentary sources.
Learning Outcomes
- Analysing a contemporary fact from an anthropological perspective.
- Analysing data critically from anthropological investigations and reports.
- Applying the knowledge of cultural variability and its genesis to avoid ethnocentric projections.
- Assess the reliability of sources, select important data and cross-check information.
- Effectively working in teams and respecting different opinions.
- Enumerating the theories about human species in their relation to society and culture production.
- Explaining the disciplinary developments and current interdisciplinary tendencies from the critique to the nature/culture Cartesian dichotomy.
- Explaining the work's results narratively in accordance with the critical standards of discipline and bearing in mind the different target audiences.
- Express ideas with a specific vocabulary appropriate to the discipline.
- Identifying the contemporary interdisciplinary tendencies shared by the Anthropology and social disciplines related to the corresponding field.
- Identifying the recent disciplinary developments and the correlation between the anthropological theory and the social disciplines related in their historical development and the current interdisciplinary tendencies.
- Identifying the various relationship processes between human populations and their environment.
- Interpreting the cultural diversity through ethnography.
- Knowing and understanding the culture's influence in the various institutional systems of environmental intervention.
- Knowing the evolutionary aspect of contemporary human diversity.
- Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
- Producing materials related to the human population-environment relationships that may have a critical impact on the political and common sense conceptions in their respective fields.
- Propose new experience-based methods or alternative solutions.
- Propose new ways to measure the success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
- Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and environmental benefits.
- Propose ways to evaluate projects and actions for improving sustainability.
- Recognising the cultural nature of nature and society conceptualizations.
- Summarizing the acquired knowledge about the relationship between nature, culture and society.
- Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
Content
Topic 1: Crises, conflicts and environmental justice
Topic 2: Local knowledge, conservationism and anthropology
Topic 3: Local knowledge: diagnoses, classifications and ontologies
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Directed Practical theoretical classes with ICT support and debate. | 50 | 2 | 1, 3, 14, 7, 22, 23 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Oriented readings or viewings, case analysis, class discussions. | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 14, 7, 22, 23, 24 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Autonomous Reading, analysis, criticism of texts and documentaries in the classroom, preparation of debate, writing of works. | 65 | 2.6 | 3, 14, 7, 21, 22 |
Training activities
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual work | 30 | 1 | 0.04 | 3, 14, 15, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 17, 21, 20, 22, 23, 4, 24 |
| Oral participation and discussion of texts | 10 | 1 | 0.04 | 2, 1, 3, 14, 7, 9, 10, 13, 19, 20, 22, 23 |
| The elaboration group work. | 30 | 1.5 | 0.06 | 2, 1, 3, 14, 7, 9, 12, 10, 13, 16, 17, 21, 18, 20, 23, 5, 4 |
| Written test | 30 | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 14, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23 |
Continuous assessment
The continuous assessment of the subject will be carried out based on four modules:
1- Group work 30%
Submission of a sheet with written and visual content on a case of environmental conflict that affects local groups and knowledge. The format and guidelines will be those of the EJAtlas online Atlas, and its publication will be proposed. Extra questions related to the course content will be added.
2- Individual work 30%
Collection of local knowledge in a free and informative format. Writing of an explanatory text justifying the choice, context, method, relating the case to a social problem and exploring alternative forms of natural resource management.
3- Written test 30%
Final written test on the course content
4-Oral participation 10%
Attendance, oral participation, presentation of work, interaction in the Forum, etc.
The evaluation of the subject will be carried out procedurally. At the time of each evaluation activity, students will be informed of the procedure and date of revision of grades.
In order to pass the course, it is necessary to have presented all the programmed activities. The final mark for the course will be calculated with the percentages indicated.
In order to pass the course, the final mark must be equal to or higher than 5.
Those who have failed the subject may re-evaluate and make up the failed tests.
"In order to participate in the recovery process, the student must have been previously assessed in a set of activities, the weight of which is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade".
Students will obtain a Not assessed/Not submitted course grade unless they have submitted more than 1/3 of the assessment items.
Those activities that the teacher considers not to be recoverable may be excluded from the recovery process, for example, oral presentations, group work, and tasks related to the daily teaching activity.
In case of any irregularity by the student that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be initiated. In the event of several irregularities occurring in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final mark for this subject will be 0.
The instructions for carrying out the assignments will be established from the first day of class.
Single Assessment
A written test on a single date at the end of the course. The guidelines and duration will be given throughout the course. The weighting will be the following:
-Individual work (40%)
-Presentation of individual work (10%)
-Written test (50%)
*AI
-Restricted use with identification, tools and critical reflection.
-Lack of transparency is considered plagiarism.
Bibliography
Mandatory general bibliography
Agrawal, A. (Ed.). (2002). El conocimiento indígena y la dimensión política de la clasificación. Revista Internacional de Ciencias Sociales, 173, 6-18. Revista Internacional de Ciencias Sociales, 173, 6-18.
Charbonnier, Pierre. (2017). Por una filosofía política de las desigualdades ecologicas. Conceptos Históricos, 3, 84–108.
Coulibaly, Djakalidja. (2012). Developpement durable et savoirs autochtones: Une nouvelle perspective pour les sciences sociales. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 8(26), 26.
Descola, Philippe. (2017). ¿Humano, demasiado humano? Desacatos. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 54, 54.
Durand Smith, Leticia. (2002). La relación ambiente-cultura en la antropología: Recuento y perspectivas. Nueva Antropología. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 61, 170–184.
Reyes-García,Victòria. (2009). Conocimiento ecológico tradicional para la conservación: Dinámicas y conflictos. Papeles de relaciones ecosociales y cambio global, 107, 39.
Thematical, general references, recommended and cited bibliography
Balée, William L. (1989). La cultura dels boscos de l’Amazònia. Avenços En Botànica Econòmica, 7, 1–21.
Bellier, Irène (Ed.). (2011). Pueblos indígenas en el mundo. Eudeba.
Bonte, Pierre, Izard, Michel, Abélès, Marion, & Llinares García, Mar. (2008). Diccionario Akal de etnología y antropología. Akal.
Cadena, Marisol de la. (2020). Cosmopolítica indígena en los Andes: Reflexiones conceptuales más allá de la «política». Tabula Rasa: revista de humanidades, 33, 273–311.
Cañedo Rodríguez, Montserrat (Ed.). (2013). Cosmopolíticas: Perspectivas antropológicas. Trotta.
Cuestas Caza, Javier. (2019). Sumak Kawsay entre el post-desarrollismo occidental y la Filosofía Andina*. Ánfora, 26(47), 109–140.
Descola, Philippe. (1985). De l’Indien naturalisé à l’Indien naturaliste: Sociétés amazoniennes sous le regard de l’occident. In Protection de la Nature: Histoire et idéologie (de la Nature à l’Environnement) (pp. 221–235). L’Harmattan.
Descola, Philippe. (1998). Las cosmologías de los indios de la Amazonia. Zainak. Cuadernos de Antropología-Etnografía, 17, 219–227.
Descola, Philippe. (2002). La antropología y la cuestión de la naturaleza. In Astrid Ulloa & Germán Palacio (Eds.), Repensando la naturaleza. Encuentros y desencuentros disciplinarios en torno a lo ambiental. (pp. 155–171).
Descola, Philippe. (2014). ¿Existen acaso paisajes amazónicos? In Stephen Rostain (Ed.), Amazonía. Memorias de las conferencias magistrales del 3er Encuentro Internacional de Arqueología Amazónica (pp. 19–30). MCCTH/SENESCYT/3EIAA.
Haudricourt, André-Georges, & Bardet, Marie. (2019). Domesticación de los animales, cultivo de las plantas y tratamiento del otro. In El cultivo de los gestos: Entre plantas, animales y humanos / Hacer mundos con gestos. Cactus Editorial.
Hermitte, Marie-Angèle. (2011). La nature, sujet de droit ? Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales, 66e année(1), 173–212.
Latouche, Serge. (2016). Les précurseurs de la décroissance: Une anthologie. le passager clandestin.
Levinson, David(1991), Encyclopedia of world cultures (1–10). Human Relation Area Files Inc.; G.K. Hall & Co; MacMillan Inc,.
Martínez Alier, Joan. (2021). El Ecologismo delos pobres: Conflictos ambientales y lenguajes de valoración (Sexta edición nuevamente ampliada). Icaria.
Martínez Alier, Joan, Leah Temper, & Daniela Del Bene. (n.d.). EJAtlas | Mapping Environmental Justice. Environmental Justice Atlas. Retrieved January 28, 2022
Martínez Mauri, Mònica, & Killinger, Cristina Larrea. (2010). Antropología social, desarrollo y cooperación internacional: Introducción a los fundamentos básicos y debates actuales. Editorial UOC.
Nakashima, Douglas, Krupnik, Igor, Rubis, Jennifer T., Henry, Rosita, & Pam, Christine. (2018). Indigenous Knowledge in the Time of Climate Change (with Reference to Chuuk , Federated States of Micronesia ). In Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Assessment and Adaptation (pp. 58–74). Cambridge University Press.
Nerín, Gustau. (2018). ONGs: Dels missioners a les “multinacionals de la solidaritat.” Sàpiens, 194.
Ostrom, Elinor. (2000). El Gobierno de los bienes comunes: La evolución de las instituciones de acción colectiva. Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Posey, Darrell Addison. (1992). Los Kayapo y la naturaleza. In José E. Juncosa (Ed.), Los Guardianes de la tierra: Los indígenas y su relación con el medio ambiente / compilador José E. Juncosa (pp. 35–49). Abya-Yala.
Reyes-García, Victoria, & Caviedes, Julián. (2022). Evidencias locales del cambio climático y sus impactos: Ejemplos desde Sudamérica. Antropologías del Sur, 17, 103–120.
Reyes-García, Victoria, Santiago Alvarez-Fernandez, & Petra Benyei. (2024). Routledge Handbook of Climate Change Impacts on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (Victoria Reyes-García, Ed.). Routledge.
Roué, Marie, Descola, Philippe, Berlin, Brent, & Serje, Margarita. (2003). Las ONG y la gestión de la diversidad biológica. Revista Internacional de Ciencias Sociales, 178.
Sahlins, Marshall David. (1983). 1-La sociedad opulenta primitiva. In Economía de la edad de piedra (pp. 13–46). Akal.
Selmi, Adel, & Hirtzel, Vincent. (2007). Introduction. Parquer la nature. Cahiers d’anthropologie sociale, N° 3(1), 9–12.
Teran Mantovani, Emiliano. (2018). El extractivismo como eco-régimen: Múltiples ámbitos y escalas de su impacto socio territorial. In Marta Inez Medeiros Marques (Ed.), Perspectivas de natureza. Epistemologias, negóciosde natureza e América Latina (Annablume Editora, pp. 319–343).
Tola, Florencia C. (2016). El “giro ontológico” y la relación naturaleza/cultura. Reflexiones desde el Gran Chaco. Apuntes de Investigación del CECYP, 27, 129–139.
Software
Zotero
XMind
EJAtlas
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |