Science, politics, and wildlife policy: Exclusionary conservation in Karera, India
2023.
Since colonial times, the forests of South Asia have been battlegrounds between different ideologies and views on how natural resources should be managed. Today, the bureaucrats of independent India largely retain the colonial idea that conservation and human use of natural resources are mutually exclusive. Exclusionary conservation policy is often justified by a narrow and ironically unscientific view of conservation science, where 'science' is understood as being universal, objective, and natural. This human–nature dualism undermines the needs and rights of local communities that are affected by these policies, leading to conflicts with governments. Using the case study of a failed bustard sanctuary in Karera in central India, this paper analyzes the relationship between history, politics, and conservation science and its implications for policy and social justice. Based on archival research, the study highlights the role of ideology in wildlife legislation and proposes a rethink of the ideological foundations and normative ends of conservation policy in India.