A model integrating social-cultural concepts of nature into frameworks of interaction between social and natural systems

Abstract

Existing frameworks for analysing interactions between social and natural systems (e.g. Social-Ecological Systems framework, Ecosystem Services concept) do not sufficiently consider and operationalize the dynamic interactions between people's values, attitudes and understandings of the human-nature relationship at both individual and collective levels. We highlight the relevance of individual and collective understandings of the human-nature relationship as influencing factors for environmental behaviour, which may be reflected in natural resource management conflicts, and review the diversity of existing social-cultural concepts, frameworks and associated research methods. Particular emphasis is given to the context-sensitivity of social-cultural concepts in decision-making. These aspects are translated into a conceptual model aiming not to replace but to expand and enhance existing frameworks. Integrating this model into existing frameworks provides a tool for the exploration of how social-cultural concepts of nature interact with existing contexts to influence governance of social-ecological systems.

Keywords

human-nature relationship; social-ecological system; environmental behaviour; governance

Published in

Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
2018, volume: 61, number: 5-6, pages: 756-777
Publisher: Informa {UK} Limited

SLU Authors

• Raymond, Christopher

  • Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Other Earth Sciences

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2017.1327424

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/86256