ABSTRACT
Public debate about how, and whether, to graze southern Arizona's desert
grasslands has been ongoing for decades. Increases in ecological knowledge and the
creation of public discussion forums have failed to build consensus about grazing and
related land policies. One major line of public argument takes the form of identity
politics, with valued cultural and social movement identities, such as rancher or
environmentalist, pitted against each other. Another site for contention is contrasting
ecological claims about the effects of cattle on grass cover. In this ethnography-based
dissertation, I analyze: 1) the rhetorical construction and representation of identities, and
2) the forms of evidence that provide epistemic support for scientific claims about
ecology. Both reified identities and decontextualized scientific argument hinder
consensus-building. A more open discussion of conflicting desires and explicit
acknowledgment of human agency to affect both cultures and landscapes can shift public
debate to more productive grounds for collaboration. [AUTHOR ABSTRACT]
Reports and other documents about Sonoran Desert ecology, management, and conservation. Curated by the not-for-profit Altar Valley Conservation Alliance (AVCA) located outside Tucson, AZ.