Call for Papers Anthropology and Conservation Virtual Conference ‘The Power of the Jaguar’

From 25-29 October, 2021, the Royal Anthropological Institute will host a major interdisciplinary conference on Anthropology and Conservation. Experts and partners of IUCN NL’s project Operation Jaguar will speak in the panel about ‘The Power of the Jaguar’.

It is increasingly acknowledged that biodiversity conservation can only be properly achieved through the inclusion and equal power allocation to all involved stakeholders. Since more than half of world’s biodiversity lies in indigenous territories, it is crucial to consult and integrate local Indigenous Peoples’ narratives and ecological knowledge to successfully protect ecosystems and cultural diversity. Different cosmologies and local perceptions inform conservationists and other stakeholders about the bond that local people have cultivated with specific species and landscapes. Furthermore, it is important to understand the evolution of indigenous knowledge based on the environmental, economic and social changes that Indigenous Peoples have experienced in the last decades within their landscapes. The willingness to investigate and account for these local connections with the landscape is key to design culturally sensitive conservation strategies building healthy and respectful partnerships. The power of collaboration is ultimately what creates motivation to carefully protect our ecosystems.

About the panel ‘The Power of the Jaguar’

Jaguars play a vital role in many indigenous cosmologies. As jaguars’ populations are declining, an expert group of anthropologists, conservationists and ecologists will discuss the need to engage with Indigenous Peoples to connect local knowledge to the current strategies employed for the conservation of species and ecosystems.

Panelist

The panel, chaired by Liliana Jauregui of IUCN NL, will include the following speakers:

More information about the conference can be found on the website of the Royal Anthropological Institute.

Call for papers

Call for papers for the panel:

“The Power of the Jaguar: how to broaden and to enhance conservation strategies learning from traditional knowledge and anthropologists’ perspectives”

To be held at the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) Anthropology and Conservation Virtual Conference, 25-29 October 2021.

Please send a short abstract (~200 words) to the email addresses at the bottom of this message by 31st May.

Description of the panel:

Jaguars are the largest feline of the American continent and a valuable symbol for many indigenous cultures. However, jaguars are increasingly endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflicts, and wildlife trade. Current efforts to protect the species are predominantly informed and influenced by Western perceptions and scientifically rooted management approaches. Conservation organizations have often overlooked and failed to acknowledge the importance of local and indigenous views and knowledge on jaguars. Because indigenous territories overlap with more than half of the world’s biodiversity, integrating their ecological knowledge and cultural perceptions on jaguars is a fundamental step to design multi-cultural plans while reconnecting societies with the cultures and beliefs of their territories. Learning from indigenous cosmologies, narratives and other native original knowledge about the jaguar can broaden our knowledge and, can also elevate the priority given to wildlife conservation by governments and the public. In this panel, anthropologists, indigenous people, and conservationists will engage in an open dialogue about fundamental principles and perspectives that are vital for the protection of jaguars with an active leadership role of local communities and indigenous peoples. The output of this discussion will constitute an important contribution for any actor working in the field of nature conservation.

Contacts:
liliana.jauregui@iucn.nl
lucia.guaita@iucn.nl

For further information on the RAI conference 2021 please visit the website.