In Namibia's growing ecotourism industry, the Haiǀǀom and!Xung San peoples face an important contradiction: they are marketed as 'authentic' stewards of nature—primordial guardians untouched by modernity—yet must embrace the very capitalist systems their tourism represents to survive economically. This tension reveals more profound problems with how Western consumers approach Indigenous cultures. Tourists seeking such 'authentic'…Read more New book chapter about Indigenous agency in Namibian ecotourism
environment
New Perspective out about the framing of Indigenous Peoples
This recent Perspective paper in Environmental Science and Policy explains how Indigenous Peoples are framed within contemporary debates on biodiversity loss and climate change, and why it is important to keep studying this ever-changing frame. Drawing on Debord’s ‘spectacle’, we analyse repetitive representations of Indigenous Peoples as simplified portrayals and narratives that mask deeper socio-economic…Read more New Perspective out about the framing of Indigenous Peoples
A short and sweet spinoff article about Intimidation
Today, a short article about intimidation was published in Current Conservation, which is a spin-off from last year's article in Conservation Biology. It's a quick and easy read: https://www.currentconservation.org/intimidation-of-social-scientists-in-conservation/. Thanks Nowella Anyango-van Zwieten for leading this!
New paper out: Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2024–2025 – eight findings from ecology, sociology, and economics
I am happy to share this latest publication, named Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2024–2025 – eight findings from ecology, sociology, and economics, in the new Current Perspectives on Biosphere paper series in the journal Biogeosciences. It was written by 35 scientists from all over the world, providing for a large variety…Read more New paper out: Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2024–2025 – eight findings from ecology, sociology, and economics
New book review about an important book by journalist Olivier van Beemen: Ondernemers in het wild: Het ontluisterende verhaal van een club witte weldoeners in Afrika.
This is a short book review in the Open Access journal the Journal of Political Ecology, about Van Beemen's book that he wrote (in Dutch) about the ideology, politics, activities and struggles of conservation giant African Parks. There are now French and German translations available, English is on the way. I highly recommend the book…Read more New book review about an important book by journalist Olivier van Beemen: Ondernemers in het wild: Het ontluisterende verhaal van een club witte weldoeners in Afrika.
Stasja Koot 