Theory, Method, and Software: political ecology, qualitative methods and NVivo7 Strategies for Qualitative Research Conference, University of Durham, September.

Theory, Method, and Software: Theory, Method, and Software: political ecology, qualitative political ecology, qualitative

methods and NVivo7methods and NVivo7

Strategies for Qualitative Research Strategies for Qualitative Research Conference, University of Durham, Conference, University of Durham,

September 13th 2006September 13th 2006

Theme 1: Theory, Method and Software: Theme 1: Theory, Method and Software: Exploring the impact of theoretical Exploring the impact of theoretical

perspective and methodology on the perspective and methodology on the applicability and use of QSR softwareapplicability and use of QSR software

Work in progressWork in progress

Building my defence of:Building my defence of: the philosophical paradigm being used the philosophical paradigm being used

(social constructionist)(social constructionist) the qualitative and quantitative the qualitative and quantitative (spatial)(spatial)

methods applied and their combinationmethods applied and their combination and the use of CAQDAS and the use of CAQDAS (NVivo7) (NVivo7) in the in the

analytical and theory-building processanalytical and theory-building process how all fit together and produce valid how all fit together and produce valid

resultsresults

ExpeditionExpedition

From geospatial data collection and From geospatial data collection and analysis for UP and NRM conflict resolutionanalysis for UP and NRM conflict resolution

Journey through qualitative methodologies Journey through qualitative methodologies to identify one (s) appropriate to answer to identify one (s) appropriate to answer other research questions on conflictother research questions on conflict

Looking for new ways in my thinking about Looking for new ways in my thinking about conflicts, their dynamic, and the roles, conflicts, their dynamic, and the roles, relationships and knowledge/power relationships and knowledge/power dimension of claim-making processdimension of claim-making process

Research Questions and Data NeedsResearch Questions and Data Needs

Questions derive from professional interest Questions derive from professional interest and from literature review and analytical and from literature review and analytical frameworkframework

Qualitative data needs identified from Qualitative data needs identified from research questions and areas of interest, research questions and areas of interest, and these changed from pre-fieldwork and these changed from pre-fieldwork period while in the fieldperiod while in the field

Questions written in London, but Questions written in London, but interpreted and reframed by local, national interpreted and reframed by local, national and international context of capital city- and international context of capital city- and rural-based claims of claim-makersand rural-based claims of claim-makers

Claim-making in Socio-Environmental Conflicts:Claim-making in Socio-Environmental Conflicts:

Contested Copper Mining Contested Copper Mining in the Chocó-Andean Cloudforest in the Chocó-Andean Cloudforest

of North-West Ecuadorof North-West Ecuador

Karen S BuchananKaren S BuchananPhD CandidatePhD Candidate

Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning, Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning, UCL, UKUCL, UK

Purpose, Goal, OutcomePurpose, Goal, Outcome Purpose - Purpose - Inform development planning practice and Inform development planning practice and

theory on the claim-making process within socio-theory on the claim-making process within socio-environmental conflicts surrounding natural resource environmental conflicts surrounding natural resource extraction extraction

Goal - Goal - Investigate use (perception, selection, evolution Investigate use (perception, selection, evolution and impact) of developmental and environmental and impact) of developmental and environmental discourses by claim-makers in socio-environmental discourses by claim-makers in socio-environmental conflict and dynamic of the power relationsconflict and dynamic of the power relations

Outcome - Outcome - Thesis which includes:Thesis which includes: Analysis of characteristics of claim-makers, of claim-Analysis of characteristics of claim-makers, of claim-

making process, and of impacts of claim-making making process, and of impacts of claim-making process on claim-makers and use of discoursesprocess on claim-makers and use of discourses

Reflection on use of CAQDAS to assist data analysisReflection on use of CAQDAS to assist data analysis Theoretical, empirical, intellectual contributionTheoretical, empirical, intellectual contribution

ContributionsContributions

Theoretical Theoretical – lack of theorising of dialectic moments – lack of theorising of dialectic moments of (dis)empowerment of claim-makers in discourse of (dis)empowerment of claim-makers in discourse use within socio-environmental conflictsuse within socio-environmental conflicts

Empirical Empirical – new large-scale mining industry under-– new large-scale mining industry under-investigated from political ecology and investigated from political ecology and environmental justice perspective; no analysis of environmental justice perspective; no analysis of means of contention means of contention e.g. e.g. discourse and how discourse and how transforms power relations of & between claim-transforms power relations of & between claim-makersmakers

IntellectualIntellectual – demonstrate new ways of looking at – demonstrate new ways of looking at discourse and power transformation in claim-making discourse and power transformation in claim-making process of socio-environmental conflicts through use process of socio-environmental conflicts through use of discourse analysisof discourse analysis

Focus of researchFocus of research

Socio-environmental conflictSocio-environmental conflict Claim-makersClaim-makers Developmental and Environmental values, Developmental and Environmental values,

ideas, beliefs, and interestsideas, beliefs, and interests Environmental justice perspectiveEnvironmental justice perspective Political ecology paradigmPolitical ecology paradigm

i.e.i.e. integrated approach to study of integrated approach to study of ecological and political dimensions of ecological and political dimensions of conflicts arising from nature and society conflicts arising from nature and society interactionsinteractions

Political and Market ContextPolitical and Market Context

Increasing price of copper on world marketsIncreasing price of copper on world markets Fledgling Ecuadorian large-scale mining Fledgling Ecuadorian large-scale mining

industryindustry Climate of expropriation of concessionsClimate of expropriation of concessions ““Outside the energy sector, resource companies Outside the energy sector, resource companies

are increasingly concerned about the potential for are increasingly concerned about the potential for radical natural resource policies in Latin America, a radical natural resource policies in Latin America, a region that holds a quarter of the world's copper, region that holds a quarter of the world's copper, as well as significant reserves of iron ore, gold and as well as significant reserves of iron ore, gold and other minerals.other minerals.””

Source, FT 4th May 2006Source, FT 4th May 2006

Conflict in Intag zoneConflict in Intag zone

History of mining conflict 1997-2006…History of mining conflict 1997-2006… Ethnic characteristicsEthnic characteristics Political processPolitical process Economic activities in IntagEconomic activities in Intag Biophysical characteristics and Biophysical characteristics and

BiodiversityBiodiversity Socio-economic characteristicsSocio-economic characteristics Institutions and organisation involvedInstitutions and organisation involved

Pro-mining ‘discourse alliance’Pro-mining ‘discourse alliance’

Ascendant Copper, Ascendant Copper, TerrambienteTerrambiente, Syr-Whistler , Syr-Whistler Consulting, Ministry of Energy and Mines Consulting, Ministry of Energy and Mines ((Ministerio de Energía y Minas – MEMMinisterio de Energía y Minas – MEM), Ministry of ), Ministry of the Environment (the Environment (Ministerio del Ambiente – MEAMinisterio del Ambiente – MEA), ), National Institute for Agrarian Development National Institute for Agrarian Development ((INDAINDA), Government of Canada (Canadian ), Government of Canada (Canadian Embassy in Ecuador), Ecuadorian-Canadian Embassy in Ecuador), Ecuadorian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, World Bank, Toronto Chamber of Commerce, World Bank, Toronto Stock Exchange, Organisation for Economic Stock Exchange, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), CODEGAM Cooperation and Development (OECD), CODEGAM ((Corporación de Desarrollo de García MorenoCorporación de Desarrollo de García Moreno) )

Parish Council of García Moreno - dividedParish Council of García Moreno - divided

Anti-mining ‘discourse alliance’Anti-mining ‘discourse alliance’ Committee of Communities Affected by the Mining Committee of Communities Affected by the Mining

Project, Eco-Junín, Assembly of County Unity Project, Eco-Junín, Assembly of County Unity ((Asamblea de Unidad Cantonal CotacachiAsamblea de Unidad Cantonal Cotacachi), ), Municipality of Cantón Cotacachi (Municipality of Cantón Cotacachi (Municipio de Municipio de Cotacachi Gobierno Local)Cotacachi Gobierno Local), Community and Parish , Community and Parish Development Coordinator for Intag, Development Coordinator for Intag, DECOIN (Defensa DECOIN (Defensa y Conservacion Ecológica de Intagy Conservacion Ecológica de Intag), INTAG newspaper ), INTAG newspaper ((Intag PeriodicoIntag Periodico), Intag’s Women’s Coordinating ), Intag’s Women’s Coordinating Committee (Committee (Mujeres de IntagMujeres de Intag), Ecological Action ), Ecological Action ((Acción EcológicaAcción Ecológica), ), Asociación Agroartesanal de Asociación Agroartesanal de Caficultores Río Intag (AACRI)Caficultores Río Intag (AACRI), Consumer Solidarity , Consumer Solidarity Network (Network (Xarxa de Xarxa de Consum SolidariConsum Solidari), SODEPAU), SODEPAU and and SODEPAZSODEPAZ , Friends of the Earth Canada, Junín’s , Friends of the Earth Canada, Junín’s International Observer Program, Mine Watch Canada, International Observer Program, Mine Watch Canada, Rainforest Concern, The Sloth Club, The Cotacachi Rainforest Concern, The Sloth Club, The Cotacachi Ecology Centre, and Ecology Centre, and Corporación de Gestión y Corporación de Gestión y Derecho Ambiental (ECOLEX)Derecho Ambiental (ECOLEX)

Research Issues Research Issues

Use of environmental & developmental Use of environmental & developmental discourses by claim-makers on all sides of a discourses by claim-makers on all sides of a socio-environmental conflict socio-environmental conflict

Subjective experiences of claim-makersSubjective experiences of claim-makers Relationship between discourse and use of Relationship between discourse and use of

knowledge within discourse and its impactknowledge within discourse and its impact Relational issues of empowerment and Relational issues of empowerment and

disempowerment within claim-making disempowerment within claim-making processprocess

Topics of interest Topics of interest

QuestionsQuestions Contextual - Contextual - landland Conflict - Conflict - power power

relationsrelations Developmental and Developmental and

Environmental Environmental Discourse Discourse

Process - Process - representationrepresentation Impacts – Impacts – on claim-on claim-

makers and processmakers and process

FrameworkFramework DiscourseDiscourse Power (knowledge)Power (knowledge) BeliefsBeliefs Institution-buildingInstitution-building Material practices Material practices Social relationsSocial relations

MethodologyMethodology

Finding methodology (or combination of Finding methodology (or combination of methods) appropriate to research methods) appropriate to research questions, needs and way of thinking questions, needs and way of thinking about, making (collection and about, making (collection and recording) and analysing datarecording) and analysing data

Practical considerations include: Data Practical considerations include: Data sources, Data type, Research skills, sources, Data type, Research skills, Language acquisition, Accessibility, Language acquisition, Accessibility, Establishing trust, Time, …Establishing trust, Time, …

MethodologyMethodology Research DesignResearch Design - issues and questions, context - issues and questions, context

and process design, scope, operational definitions, and process design, scope, operational definitions, data needs, exploratory fieldwork, case study, data needs, exploratory fieldwork, case study, fieldwork proper (phase I and II)fieldwork proper (phase I and II)

Qualitative Research Methodologies –Qualitative Research Methodologies – ethnography, grounded theory, discourse analysisethnography, grounded theory, discourse analysis

Qualitative Research Methods -Qualitative Research Methods - research research strategy, literature review, analytical framework, strategy, literature review, analytical framework, fieldwork (purposive sampling, qualitative fieldwork (purposive sampling, qualitative interviewing methods, restitution), analysis and interviewing methods, restitution), analysis and theory-building from data supported by CAQDAStheory-building from data supported by CAQDAS

EthnographyEthnography In sense of strategy for data collection In sense of strategy for data collection

with certain claim-makerswith certain claim-makers Appropriate method in conflict situation in Appropriate method in conflict situation in

rural areasrural areas Observation, participation, negotiation of Observation, participation, negotiation of

entry through gatekeepers, relationships entry through gatekeepers, relationships between claim-makers, more profound between claim-makers, more profound insights and understandings although insights and understandings although always an outsideralways an outsider

7 month fieldwork in area 7 month fieldwork in area Use data not just for description but Use data not just for description but

analysis, focused ethnographyanalysis, focused ethnography

Grounded theoryGrounded theory

Reality (of conflict and claim-making process) is Reality (of conflict and claim-making process) is socially constructed (congruent with social socially constructed (congruent with social constructionist paradigm of political ecology)constructionist paradigm of political ecology)

Reality is continually evolving, changing and being Reality is continually evolving, changing and being re-negotiated through interaction between people re-negotiated through interaction between people (claim-makers)(claim-makers)

Theory can be constructed through data analysis Theory can be constructed through data analysis (to describe the conflict dynamic and claim-making (to describe the conflict dynamic and claim-making process) using coding strategy, interpretation, process) using coding strategy, interpretation, modelling, synthesising, all tasks supported by modelling, synthesising, all tasks supported by NVivo7 softwareNVivo7 software

Need to move away from testing hypotheses Need to move away from testing hypotheses imposed from lit review to what is on the groundimposed from lit review to what is on the ground

Discourse analysisDiscourse analysis

Located in social constructionist worldview Located in social constructionist worldview (congruent with research questions about claim-(congruent with research questions about claim-making process and discourse use and use in political making process and discourse use and use in political ecology & discursive constructions of nature-society ecology & discursive constructions of nature-society interactions)interactions)

Deconstruction of origin, meaning, knowledge-Deconstruction of origin, meaning, knowledge-base and orientation of environmental and base and orientation of environmental and developmental discoursesdevelopmental discourses

Analysis in terms of meta-discourses – not Analysis in terms of meta-discourses – not detaildetail

Which claim-makers use particular discourses, Which claim-makers use particular discourses, why, how, impact on powerwhy, how, impact on power

Coding to Cases and tree nodes in NVivo7Coding to Cases and tree nodes in NVivo7

Relationship analysisRelationship analysis

Testing relationship between bilingualism Testing relationship between bilingualism and (ab)use of power through access to and (ab)use of power through access to international networks, funding sources, international networks, funding sources, knowledge and political influenceknowledge and political influence

Relationship between discourse chosen Relationship between discourse chosen and the use of forms of knowledge in the and the use of forms of knowledge in the discourse and its consequences for power discourse and its consequences for power relations between claim-makersrelations between claim-makers

Use NVivo7 modeller to visualise and test Use NVivo7 modeller to visualise and test ideasideas

Multiple methodsMultiple methods

In addition to qualitative some geospatial In addition to qualitative some geospatial data added as attributes to the Cases in data added as attributes to the Cases in NVIvo7NVIvo7

spatial dimension of this dynamicspatial dimension of this dynamic where the conflict is played out, where the conflict is played out, where the impacts are felt, where the impacts are felt, where the rural communities and the other where the rural communities and the other

claim-makers see that impacts are and will be claim-makers see that impacts are and will be felt felt

using participatory mapping techniques and ESRI using participatory mapping techniques and ESRI ArcGIS software to support this analysis.ArcGIS software to support this analysis.