TY - JOUR
T1 - Reframing Tradition
T2 - How NGOs Sell Market-based Conservation to Indigenous Communities - Lessons from the Leco Community in Bolivia
AU - Maher, Rajiv
AU - Schmidt, Nanna
N1 - Published online 09 January 2025.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - We examine how a market-based conservation non-governmental organization (NGO) persuaded an Indigenous community in Bolivia to adopt new livelihood practices based on neoliberal conservation principles. These practices required the community to abandon their cherished traditional methods in favor of modern farming techniques. We found the community reluctantly accepted the NGO’s proposed market-based conservation-friendly practices. The community had invited NGO collaboration after a hard-fought battle for land rights and autonomy. To understand the communication strategy for swaying the community, we apply framing theory from communicative and social movements literature. Through analysis of archival data, interviews with NGO officials, and fieldwork in Bolivian communities, we highlight the importance of different framing strategies, especially ‘prognostic’ and ‘motivational’ framing, in persuading Indigenous Leco farmers to adopt market-driven conservation practices. Our study contributes to understanding the relational dynamics involved in implementing market-based conservation within Indigenous communities.
AB - We examine how a market-based conservation non-governmental organization (NGO) persuaded an Indigenous community in Bolivia to adopt new livelihood practices based on neoliberal conservation principles. These practices required the community to abandon their cherished traditional methods in favor of modern farming techniques. We found the community reluctantly accepted the NGO’s proposed market-based conservation-friendly practices. The community had invited NGO collaboration after a hard-fought battle for land rights and autonomy. To understand the communication strategy for swaying the community, we apply framing theory from communicative and social movements literature. Through analysis of archival data, interviews with NGO officials, and fieldwork in Bolivian communities, we highlight the importance of different framing strategies, especially ‘prognostic’ and ‘motivational’ framing, in persuading Indigenous Leco farmers to adopt market-driven conservation practices. Our study contributes to understanding the relational dynamics involved in implementing market-based conservation within Indigenous communities.
U2 - 10.1057/s41599-024-04303-8
DO - 10.1057/s41599-024-04303-8
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2662-9992
VL - 12
JO - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
JF - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
M1 - 37
ER -