As the person who made the request for your perspectives on initiating work in Africa, I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to the discussion (on and off list) thus far. Upon my return to Australia from Africa, I felt what could only be described as desperation to find a way to get back. I have been able to examine the root causes of that desperation, to some extent as a result of this discussion. I think it might satisfy a long-held desire I've had to venture into the area of environmental justice. Initiating work in a totally different subject area when one already has a Ph.D. and plenty of research experience in one relatively specific subject is another question entirely! Anyway, I haven't completely figured out what I'm thinking, but I thank you all for bringing up these important topics (e.g. recapitulating colonialism) and I will certainly bear them in mind if I attempt to go forward with any research proposals. Lauren
> Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 12:22:22 -0500 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] FW: [ECOLOG-L] Perspectives on research in Africa > To: [email protected] > > There is an organization called Blue Ventures, run out of England, that > has a program utilizing mostly volunteers in studying/monitoring reefs in > a remote area in western Madagascar. This would be an example of "research > tourism." They are very involved with the local community and have worked > with many villages along the coast in setting up MPAs. A Malagasy man from > the village where Blue Ventures is located won a prestigious conservation > prize from World Wildlife Foundation recently for development of the MPA. > In my opinion, the prize should have also gone to Alasdair Harris, the > founder and director of Blue Ventures, who was behind the project. We were > there (Andavadoaka) back in January doing our own research on mangrove > fish communities and were very impressed with the way the organization and > the volunteers (mostly Brits and Europeans but some Americans and > Australians as well)interacted with the the local villagers. > They also had some Malagasy graduate students on site working on their > research projects. > > > > > I agree with the below. Research tourism leaves very little viable i.e. > > sustainable work behind, and can cause damage to ecosystems (as was seen > > with the Kihansi Spray Toad Debacle in Tanzania where researchers from > > abroad, visiting many world sites with amphibian demise carried in the > > virus on their boots, for the final wipe-out) and to abandonment of the > > care aand management of ecologically sensitive areas by local populations > > (such as the Serengeti Plains where populations of wildebeest, wild dogs, > > etc. have recentlycrashed). > > > > Fulbright Scholarships might give a way to work in a university and be > > part of the training people in Africa to set the priorities and do the > > research. > > > > --- On Thu, 12/4/08, Charlie Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > From: Charlie Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: FW: [ECOLOG-L] Perspectives on research in Africa > > To: "Anne Outwater" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: Thursday, December 4, 2008, 7:42 PM > > > > FYI > > Charlie > > > > All truth passes through three stages. > > First it is ridiculed. > > Second it is violently opposed. > > Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. > > - Arthur Shopenhauer (1788-1860) > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nathan Brouwer > > Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 11:02 AM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Perspectives on research in Africa > > > > Some organizations that offer at least small grants that I think could be > > used in Africa are: > > http://www.foc-uk.com/ > > http://www.bou.org.uk/bouresg.htm > > > > As important as funding issues in working in Africa are logistical and > > cultural ones. Africa has perhaps the lowest African scientist to western > > scientist ratio in the world. This limits opportunities for collaboration > > with nationals, and also creates the problem of recapitulating colonialism > > through science. I know of major, long-term wildlife studies that do not > > incorporate any African's except as camp guards. Conservation, wildlife > > management, agriculture, and sustainability will not go far if locals are > > not invested in the research. There is an African Academy of Science and > > also numerous journals published in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South > > Africa. > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass. http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_anywhere_122008
