Managing frame diversity in environmental participatory processes - Example from the Fogera woreda in Ethiopia.
Many participatory processes fail to generate social change and collaborative outcomes. This failure can partly be explained by how divergent stakeholders' frames are handled. This paper builds on the framing and participation literature to explain how facilitators can manage frame diversity and foster collaborative outcomes. It suggests two pragmatic steps: identifying frames and managing frames. The two steps are applied to a participatory process for natural resource management in Fogera, Ethiopia. Effectiveness of facilitators' strategies to manage frame diversity in the Fogera case is discussed. Two main elements challenging effectiveness are identified: counter-strategies used by facilitators and most-powerful stakeholders, and the constraining factors knowledge, champions and frame sponsorship. We argue that these elements need to be taken into account by participatory process facilitators when managing frame diversity.
French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), Water Resource Management, Actors and Uses Joint Research Unit (UMR G-EAU), Montpellier, 361 Rue J.F. Breton, BP 5095 34196, Montpellier Cedex 5, France; AgroParisTech, France; The Australian National University (ANU), Fenner School of Environment and Society, 48 Linnaeus Way, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia. Electronic address: emeline.hassenforder@gmail.com.
Emeline
E
Hassenforder
University of Twente, Water Engineering and Management Group, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, Drienerlolaan, 5 7522 NB, Enschede, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.f.brugnach@utwente.nl.
Marcela
M
Brugnach
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Electronic address: bethselinacullen@gmail.com.
Beth
B
Cullen
French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), Water Resource Management, Actors and Uses Joint Research Unit (UMR G-EAU), Montpellier, 361 Rue J.F. Breton, BP 5095 34196, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. Electronic address: nils.ferrand@irstea.fr.
Nils
N
Ferrand
French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), Water Resource Management, Actors and Uses Joint Research Unit (UMR G-EAU), Montpellier, 361 Rue J.F. Breton, BP 5095 34196, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. Electronic address: olivier.barreteau@irstea.fr.
Olivier
O
Barreteau
The Australian National University (ANU), Centre for European Studies, #67C, 1 Liversidge St, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia. Electronic address: katherine.daniell@anu.edu.au.
Katherine Anne
KA
Daniell
The Australian National University (ANU), Fenner School of Environment and Society, 48 Linnaeus Way, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia. Electronic address: jamie.pittock@anu.edu.au.
Jamie
J
Pittock
D003142:Communication; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004777:Environment; D005002:Ethiopia; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge
Africa; Ambiguity; Collaborative processes; Framing; Meaning; Participation