Suchergebnisse

Intro -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- 1.1 Background -- 1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Book -- 1.3 Rationale for Selecting the Nepalese Context -- 1.4 Key Contributions of the Book -- 1.5 Outline of the Book -- References -- Chapter 2: Gender Perspective in Forestry and Feminist Institutionalism -- 2.1 The Concept of Gender -- 2.2 Gender and the Environment -- 2.2.1 Ecofeminism -- 2.2.2 Feminist Environmentalism -- 2.2.3 Feminist Political Ecology -- 2.2.4 Examples of the Role of the Women's Environmental Movement -- 2.3 Male Dominance in Forestry -- 2.4 Initiatives for the Inclusion of Women in Forestry -- 2.5 The Representation of Women in the Forestry Profession -- 2.6 Reasons for Women's Under-Representation in Professional Forestry Roles -- 2.7 Challenges for Women Professionals in the Forestry Sector -- 2.8 Effectiveness of Gender Mainstreaming Policies and Practices in Forestry: An International Perspective -- 2.9 Scope for Contribution in the Area of Gender Perspectives in Forestry -- 2.10 Institutionalism -- 2.11 The Feminist Perspective Within Historical Institutionalism -- 2.12 The Feminist Perspective Within Normative or Sociological Institutionalism -- 2.13 Feminist Perspectives in Rational Choice Institutionalism -- 2.14 Features of New Institutionalism -- 2.15 Feminist Perspectives Within New Institutionalism -- 2.15.1 Formal and Informal Institutions -- 2.15.2 Power -- 2.15.3 Institutional Change -- 2.15.4 Structure and Agency -- 2.16 The Necessity of the Development of Feminist Institutional Approaches -- 2.17 Strengthening Feminist Institutionalism -- 2.17.1 Gendered Institutions -- 2.17.2 Formal and Informal Institutions -- 2.17.3 Institutional Change and Continuity -- 2.17.4 Structure and Agency -- 2.17.5 Gendered Culture and Power Relations -- 2.17.6 Gendered Knowledge.

There is a large body of literature which acknowledges that women play vital roles in protecting and managing forest resources around the world (Agarwal, 2010b; Colfer, 2013; FAO, 2006, 2007; Mai, Mwangi, & Wan, 2011; Sewell Jr, 1992). Despite their contributions to forest management, women are still largely excluded from decision making roles in forestry organizations, especially in developing countries (FAO, 2007). As a result, most of the forestry related decisions are made by males, resulting in the marginalisation of women's interests in forest management and minimizing the potential contributions of women (ABS, 2013; Christie & Giri, 2011; Lidestav, 2010). The history of forest management in Nepal typifies this gender bias in forestry governance (Christie & Giri, 2011; Giri & Faculty, 2008). While men are actively involved in decision making processes within formal environmental organizations and institutions, women are more likely to be involved at informal and grass root levels, including as an unpaid labour force (Agarwal, 2010b). Before the introduction of community based forestry programs, the Nepalese Ministry of Forests and its subsidiaries (referred to here as the forest bureaucracy) was the major organization responsible for governing the forestry sector. After the introduction and advancement of community based forest management programs, and the entry of civil society, donor and other private sector organizations, the scope and nature of forestry governance has been extended in Nepal. Although, this shift in paradigm opened space for the entry of women into different forestry institutions, the under representation of women in forest bureaucracy (still a major part of forestry governance) still continues. Nepalese rural women have low literacy rates and little involvement in public spheres. As a result there is limited access, for women working at the grassroots level, to national level policy making, planning and implementation. It is usually assumed that professional women bring women's issues and interests into forestry policy and programmes on behalf of grassroots level women. This representation is not always effective (Giri and Faculty, 2008, Agarwal, 2010b). Government forestry institutions represent the country in participating in different national and international forestry agendas including climate change. If 'grassroots' women's agendas are excluded from decision making processes in regard to environment related agendas, the solutions proposed for environmental problems may be ineffective or only partially effective (WOCAN, 2012). This paper examines the existing legislative measures and institutional practices that facilitate or constrain the role of women in Nepalese forestry institutions. This study also investigates how the gendered institutional norms and values associated with forest-governing institutions, such as forest bureaucracies, shape the nature and extent of women's involvement in decision making processes in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy. We use Feminist Institutionalism (FI) to examine the effect of the gendered nature of forestry institutions, policies and practices that shape the role of women in forest bureaucracy. We extend New Institutionalism (NI) by incorporating feminist perspectives to forestry governance. In exploring why the gender mainstreaming of legislative measures and practices has not been wholly effective, it is important to examine the informal norms and values within an institution. These act to shape both the behaviour of the individual and political outcomes. Since forestry is highly gendered sector based on different social norms and values, NI is considered a good approach to study those institutions. New Institutionalism is a cutting theme which crosses various disciplines, and holds the interest of historians, sociologists, economists, political scientists and social theorists (Goodin, 1996). New Institutionalism was constructed as a progressive version of older, descriptive approaches to institutionalism in order to understand the role of formal and informal rules which affect the political behaviour of individuals (Gherardi, 1996). This paper examines opportunities and challenges involved in: a) promoting women's participation in forest governance; and b) establishing an influential role for women in forestry governance. To date, researchers using the approach of institutionalism have not adequately considered the gender perspective, especially within the context of developing countries (Tripp, 2007). This study will therefore extend NI further through theoretical and practical insights, relating gendered issues to NI and particularly its sub-branch, FI.