1. Hybridity in knowledge development about invasive alien species in colonial, postcolonial and contemporary India: A focus on lantana (Lantana camara L.).
- Author
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MASAHIKO OTA
- Subjects
INTRODUCED species ,LANTANA camara ,FOREST management ,POSTCOLONIALISM ,CIVIL society - Abstract
This article considers the extent to which knowledge development about an invasive species, Lantana camara L. (hereafter lantana), has been hybrid in colonial, postcolonial and contemporary India. In the colonial period, processes of knowledge development about lantana involved colonial forest officials' consultation of local socioecological peculiarities in India. Because issues concerning invasive alien species were new to both Europe and the colonies, colonial officials had to develop knowledge and practices in line with the ecological conditions of the colonies. In the postcolonial period, however, that focus on local socioecological conditions in knowledge development became undermined as government forest officials began ignoring local knowledge and practices as well as underestimating issues concerning invasive alien species. In response, since the 1980s, a civil society organisation has played an important role in promoting local adaptation to lantana by organising a lantana craft program. In the future, that and other civil society organisations will play important roles in developing and contributing to hybrid knowledge production and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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