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The Dilemmas of Social Science in a Natural Science Environment

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The Dilemmas of Social Science in a Natural Science Environment Politics, philosophy, demography, ecology: The dilemmas of social science in a natural science environment Wendy Annecke1, Ian Russell2 & Wessel Vermeulen2 1 Scientific Services, South African National Parks, Cape Research Centre 1 & Garden Route 2, South Africa 14th Annual International Savanna Science Networking Meeting 13-18 March 2016, Kruger National Park, Skukuza Introduction • SANParks vision: A sustainable National Park system connecting society. • As natural scientists, realise need for social science skills • Identified need for the appointment of a Social Scientist in the Garden Route • Initially thought straight forward: thought we know what we need SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS VACANCY: SCIENTIST (ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL SCIENCE) PATERSON GRADING D3 SCIENTIFIC SERVICES, RONDEVLEI, GARDEN ROUTE NATIONAL PARK Closing date: 14 October 2015 A vacancy exists in the Conservation Services Division in the Scientific Services Unit, based at Rondevlei in Garden Route National Park, for a Scientist (Environmental Social Science). The successful candidate will be expected to conduct monitoring and research on interrelations between humans and both marine and natural terrestial environments. The Garden Route National Park, which includes the former Tsitsikamma and Wilderness Parks, and Knysna Estuary, will be the primary area of responsibility. Raised questions about the nature and role of social science in SANParks. Key questions • What should the position be called? • What do we (as natural scientist) want social scientists to do and achieve? • What type of training and experience is required? What should the position be called? • Social Science: The study of society, and the relationships among individuals within a society, with main branches being economics, political science, human geography, demography and sociology. Too broad. • Social Ecology: The interactions within the social, institutional, and cultural contexts of people-environment relations that make up well-being, might concentrate predominantly on understanding environmental influences on the ills of society (sprawl, malnutrition, deforestation, urban violence, waterborne disease, obesity, housing insecurity etc.) Not exactly what conservation is about. What should the position be called? • Scientist: Environmental Social Science: The transdisciplinary study of interrelations between humans and the natural environment. • What we decided on. CONSISTENCY IN SANParks? What do we want “social scientists” to do and achieve? • We want them to do a variety of things in a range of disciplines • resource use • tourism • risk and conflict management • etc. What type of training and experience is required? • We anticipate that the scientist will be trained in transdisciplinary studies of environmental anthropology, sociology, economics, development, governance, ethics and more. • There are different kinds of social scientists (just as there are different kinds of natural scientists) Photo: Melaney Barrath Different kinds of social scientists • Environmental anthropology: • How do societies use their environment and manage social relationships through resources use? • Environmental sociology: • How do power structures influence access to natural resources? • Environmental governance: • How can environmental governance systems be designed to improve environmental and societal outcomes? • Environmental ethics/philosophy: • What values do South Africans hold towards the environment? Concluding remarks • Want them to do a number of things in a wide range of disciplines. Is this fair? • Are we setting social scientists up for failure with unrealistic expectations? • Social scientists can learn outside their own disciplines • But the best approach would be to appoint environmental social scientists in all the different fields (and then perhaps we could begin to understand how social factors (values, markets, laws and policies, cultural beliefs and demographic change) shape human behaviours and the choices to conserve or misuse resources) Debate for another day? • What is it about social science that makes natural scientists so uncomfortable? .
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