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Socio-cultural diversity and public preferences for coral reef management options in Indonesia

  • Abdul Halik
  • Marco Verweij

Abstract

Conflicting views and perceptions of how to define and resolve the issues at hand are at the heart of longstanding debates in natural resource management. As a result, a better understanding of public perceptions is vital. The study of public perception of marine conservation and management has seen an increase in recent decades. However, little research has been undertaken of the social-cultural constructs or ‘cultural biases’ underpinning peoples' perceptions. This paper aims to uncover people's cultural biases, and to investigate the plurality of their perceptions, using the case of coral reef protection. It does so with the help of the Cultural Theory pioneered by anthropologist Dame Mary Douglas. Results from a sample of 375 individuals in three different locations in Sulawesi, Indonesia, are presented that confirm Douglas' Cultural Theory. This paper concludes with the suggestion that polyrational solutions, i.e., policy solutions that emerge from creatively combining and accommodating the different ways in which people perceive and organize social-environmental interaction, are necessary in achieving a sustainable policy outcome.

Cite this activity

Halik A. and Verweij M. (2018) Socio-cultural diversity and public preferences for coral reef management options in Indonesia. 162: 13-23. 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.08.012

Details

Title Socio-cultural diversity and public preferences for coral reef management options in Indonesia
Date 01.08.2018
Volume 162
Pages 13-23
DOI 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.08.012
Open Access Status Closed Access

Research Spectrum

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