Hidden Participants and Unheard Voices: Gender, Age, and Other Influences on Traditional Ecological Knowledge Research in the North Webinar

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is widely discussed in academic research as having value for under- standing how ecosystems are changing because of climate change. Some scholars have noted that TEK, especially when brought into discussions of environmental planning and management, takes on a distinctly political character, one that can be either disruptive to or coopted by existing systems of colonial power and exploitation of indigenous peoples. Yet, there has been little critical evaluation of research on TEK and climate change, to explore whose voices in this research are being privileged or marginalized. 

In this webinar, we report on a systematic literature review to explore the role of such factors as gender, age, and the social construction of scientific research in TEK research on climate change. Our emphasis is on the North, and specifically the North American Arctic and Subarctic regions, though we also note evident parallels in TEK research elsewhere. We discuss our findings and conclude with some notes on steps for moving the literature forward, discussing the challenge of defining expertise and the need to allow communities to self-determine through defining who the experts are, while also not marginalizing important voices.

The webinar is hosted by the Rural Policy Learning Commons.  The School of Environmental Design and Rural Development is a member of the Rural Policy Learning Commons. To register for this free webinar click here.