Cross-cultural relationships in natural resource management: Understanding the nature and experiences of partnership and collaboration

Cross-cultural relationships in natural resource management: Understanding the nature and experiences of partnership and collaboration
This project aims to generate new insight into cross-cultural partnerships and collaborations to better support communities and organisations within the environment sector.
In different parts of Australia, reforms and social momentum are driving new relationships with Traditional Owner groups. At a state level, Indigenous-state relations are being created by formal territorial recognition and land reparation. For many communities, this formal recognition has changed their relationships status with the state from a stakeholder to a rights holder, and partner with legal interest in land and water management and planning. At regional and local levels, indigenous-state relations are being operationalised through formal partnerships and co-management arrangements, and many organisations are now working together in funded capacity building programs linked to land management.
Land recognition is also increasing non-government organisational engagement with Traditional Owner groups as partners in the management of privately owned land. At a landscape scale, networks are forming, and alliances are focused on caring for Country, environmental preservation and landscape restoration.
For many working in the environment sector, cross-cultural relationships are relatively new. These new relationships bring together communities, organisations and practitioners with different backgrounds and different foundational relations to land and waters. They also bring together different systems
Project Goal
To listen and learn from those involved to identify barriers and pathways for ethical and equitable relationships. To generate new insight into cross-cultural partnerships and collaborations to better support communities and organisations within the environment sector.
and different practices.
The challenges ahead is building respectful trusting relationships in cross-cultural contexts that are ethical and equitable in a contemporary environment and climate.
Using qualitative research (participatory action research and semi-structured interviews) methods, the research aims to look at relationships between Traditional Owner groups, government and non-government land management agencies, and university-based researchers working in the space of natural resource management and conservation.
PROJECT TEAM
SUPERVISORY TEAM
Dr Timothy Neale, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
Dr Euan Ritchie, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
Dr Will Smith, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation Deakin University
Project Funding
This research is being conducted under Deakin University, Higher Degrees by Research Scholarship and a Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Postgraduate Research Scholarship, aligning with the centre’s research theme of Communities and workforces of the future.