Researcher(s):
Carley Matsumoto
ENVS course(s): 400 Initiated: September 2012 Completed: May 2013 Go to project site
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The relationship between conservation NGOs and indigenous groups is controversial in terms of both its equity and its effectiveness at balancing social and environmental progress. This paper examines this relationship in the context of identity construction and NGOs’ tendency to emphasize and promote the inherent environmental wisdom of indigenous communities. Conservation NGOs’ exploitation of the specific identity known as the “ecologically noble savage” is explored through content and image analysis of three major organizations. These findings are juxtaposed with a case study analysis of a specific conservation initiative implemented by the World Wildlife Fund in the state of Michoacan, Mexico. The examination of these two vastly different representations of the relationship between indigenous communities and conservation NGOs’ reveals a disconnect between reality and ideals. Ultimately, the romanticization of indigenous life suggests an inability to embrace the furthering of social and environmental development within these communities.