Education:Is it an essential ingredient for community-based Water

Management?

Cornelia Butler FloraCharles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture

Dept. of Sociology, Iowa State University

Director

North Central Regional Center for Rural Development

cflora@iastate.edu

www.ncrcrd.iastate.edu

ScientificInformationabout conditionsand threats

Improved conditions

Old Model

ForceForce

EconomicEconomic

Social pressure Social pressure

InternalizationInternalization

Positive sanctionsPositive sanctions Negative sanctionsNegative sanctions

Shutting the system downShutting the system downZoningZoning

Fines; High costs; lose farm payments or other incentives

Fines; High costs; lose farm payments or other incentives

Cost share*; Lower costs; earn more

Cost share*; Lower costs; earn more

Gain prestige; Feels they ought to, the educator will be disappointed in me

Gain prestige; Feels they ought to, the educator will be disappointed in me

Lose respect, behavior seen as detrimental by the community

Lose respect, behavior seen as detrimental by the community

Wants to and knows howWants to and knows how Doesn’t recognize a problem &/or doesn’t know how to solve it

Doesn’t recognize a problem &/or doesn’t know how to solve it

Influencing environmentally responsible behavior

Voluntary

Regulated

Capital

Resources invested to create new resources

over a long time horizon

Political Capital

Cultural Capital

Natural Capital

Human Capital

Financial/Built Capital

Social Capital

•Healthy regional economy•Social equity and

empowerment•Healthy ecosystems

•Self-sufficient families

Natural capital

• Air• Water• Soil• Biodiversity (plants &

animals)• Landscape

• The biophysical setting that impacts human endeavors and is impacted by those activities.

Natural CapitalHealthy ecosystems, multiple benefits

o Systems and interdependence are recognized as characteristics of the biological and natural order

o Natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities disciplines contribute to understanding of the environment and environmental issues

o Learner connections to immediate surroundings provide a base for understanding larger systems, broader issues, causes and consequences

o Human communities are mindful of natural systemso Ecosystems yield multiple community benefitso Generates and makes use of data about the local conditions o Those with conflicting uses of the ecosystem seek common ground

Cultural CApital

• Symbols • Ways of knowing• Language• Ways of acting• Definition of what is

problematic

• Cultural capital determines how we see the world, what we take for granted, what we value, and what things we think possible to change. Hegemony allows one social group to impose its symbols and reward system on other groups.

Cultural CapitalDifferent heritages are maintained

and valued• Cultural differences are recognized and valued.• Mechanisms to maintain ancestral languages and customs

are in place• Collaborations are willing to take the time to understand

and build on different ways of knowing and doing. • Takes into consideration the community as a whole,

including: socio-political, economic, historical, and cultural influences

• Builds on locally existing skills and resources• Reaches people in multiple ways

Human Capital• education• skills• health• values• leadership

• The characteristics and potentials of individuals that are determined by the intersection of nature (genetics) and nurture (determined by interactions and environment)

Human capitalIncreased use of the knowledge,

skills, and abilities of local peopleo Questioning and analysis skillso Knowledge of environmental processes and systemso Skills for understanding and addressing environmental

issues• Personal and civic responsibility • Identifying skills, knowledge and ability• Increasing skills, knowledge and ability• Using skills, knowledge and ability• Recombining skills, knowledge and ability

Social Capital• mutual trust• reciprocity• groups• collective identity • sense of shared future• working together

• The interactions among individuals that occur with a degree of frequency and comfort. Bonding social capital consists of interactions within specific groups and bridging social capital consists of interactions among social groups.

Social Capital• Bonding

– Tight, exclusive networks

– Strong distinction between insiders and outsiders

– Single answer focus

• Bridging– Open and flexible networks– Permeable and open

boundaries– Legitimization of

alternatives

BRIDGING SOCIAL CAPITAL B

O N

D I

NG

S. C.

External control External control via local elites/ via local elites/

or bossesor bosses

Community Community Social Capital TypologySocial Capital Typology

Community Community Social Capital TypologySocial Capital Typology

Conflict with Conflict with outside/internal outside/internal

factionalismfactionalism

Apathy; Apathy; extremeextreme

individualismindividualism

Participatory Participatory communitycommunity

actionaction++

-

-- ++

Social CapitalStrengthened relationships,

communication, community initiative, responsibility, & adaptability

• Evolves from work with a coalition or group• Supports a person who takes responsibility for

managing or leading the process, and relies on quality group planning and facilitation techniques

• Builds effectiveness through linkages to other communities, partners, and resources

• Relates to long-term community vision & goals

Political capital• Organization • Connections• Voice• Power

• Political capital is the ability of a group to influence the distribution of resources within a social unit, including helping set the agenda of what resources are available.

Political CapitalIncreased voice and influence

• Excluded people are organized and work together• Excluded people know and feel comfortable around powerful

people• The issues of excluded people are part of the political agenda• Builds value for education as part of policy development and

implementation• Offers avenues for participation which are competent, fair, and

enhance involvement for all levels of responsibility• Builds skills for flexibility and responsiveness to environmental

issues and for facilitating community engagement

Financial Capital• debt capital• investment capital• tax revenue• savings• tax abatement• grants

• Forms of money used to increase capacity of the unit that accesses it. Financial capital is often privileged because it is easy to measure, and there is a tendency to put other capitals into financial capital terms.

Built capital• Housing• Sewers• Water systems• Business space• Day care centers• Roads• Electronic

communication

• Human-constructed infrastructure used as tools for production of other capitals

Alaska Rural Community Health Economic Solution (ARCHES)

 

 

Financial/Built CapitalNew facilities

New jobs in the community held by Alaska Natives

Basic primary community health services accessible to all

Professionals in the community spending in the community

Economic environment improved for other enterprises

Natural CapitalDistance

Ecosystem potential

Weather/Climate change

Biodiversity

Cultural/traditional support for ecosystem based activities

Cultural CapitalVillage chooses student

Village members feel comfortable in higher education settings

Tribal governments involved in health service delivery

Ancestral health traditions

Human CapitalIndividuals with the capacity to deliver health services

Individuals have the capacity to act for community economic improvement

Healthier people

More Alaska Natives with career ladders

Individual and family empowerment

Social CapitalCommunities able to recognize and deal with own problems

Communities know how to access outside resources

Institutions change to be more flexible in response to village circumstance

Community empowerment

Political CapitalEmployment is created by government entity, creates on-going relationships to increase village’s leverage

Services delivered are reimbursed by third party players

Local decision-making and regional plans inform each other

Healthy Individuals

Healthy communities

Continuous Learning

Reflection

Action

MeasurementMeasurement