Rangeland Ecology & Management

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CO-PRODUCING AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE IN THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY: EPISTEMOLOGY, PRINCIPLES, CASES AND LESSONS
Author
Reid, Robin
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2015
Body

Today, the traditional, ‘loading dock' model of science, where science delivers the answers (on the dock) for knowledge users to collect, is being transformed into new models of knowing our world. Range scientists reach out to pastoralists and ranchers around the world to integrate their long-term observations and ranch experimentation with scientists' knowledge collected through controlled repetition and manipulation of causes of change. Pastoralists and ranchers sometimes welcome opportunities to work more closely with scientists, especially when their own knowledge is fully recognized and integrated, and egalitarian co-production methods are used. Agency managers can serve as crucial ‘boundary spanners' who attempt to integrate different sources of knowledge. In many developing country settings, NGO personnel often fill this boundary spanning role. We will start with a short overview of different ways of knowing and perspectives of what constitutes ‘truth' in the cultures of science, management and those of other stakeholders. We will then describe some principles in use around the world to bring together diverse sources of knowledge or, more broadly, ways of knowing. These include practical methods such as workshops to brainstorm research questions and methods, rancher-led research projects, integrated manager-scientist field teams, ‘what does it mean' workshops to interpret data, and co-production of knowledge products. We will then propose a general model for integrating different knowledge sources and co-production of knowledge, based on our case studies. We will conclude with a description of future directions for co-production and the potential for co-produced knowledge to be a catalyst for social change.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Sacramento, CA