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Forest and Nature Governance pp 3–21Cite as

Prelude to Practice: Introducing a Practice Based Approach to Forest and Nature Governance

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Part of the book series: World Forests ((WFSE,volume 14))

Abstract

‘Forest and nature governance’ is a field that has recently emerged from forestry sciences. It analyses the governance of a diverse set of issues, including deforestation, biodiversity loss and illegal logging, producing insights useful for science and policy. Its main theoretical base consists of two mainstream social theories: rational choice and neo-institutionalism. However, since these models rest upon problematic conceptualisations of ‘the social’, this chapter proposes a practice based approach, which offers a comprehensive understanding of the social dynamics related to trees, forests and biodiversity. It goes beyond some of the old dualisms in social theory, such as subject and object, and agency and structure. Three sensitising concepts—situated agency, logic of practice and performativity—will be introduced. In addition, the chapter identifies a number of methodological guidelines for the practice based approach, based on a short review of the practice literature. These concepts and guidelines not only define the practice based approach, but also bind together the individual chapters. Finally, this chapter introduces the book’s contents.

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Acknowledgments

The editors would like to thank Joy Burrough-Boenisch for language editing the chapters in this volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group, 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Bas Arts, Jelle Behagel, Jessica de Koning & Esther Turnhout

  2. Communication Strategies Group, 47 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Séverine van Bommel

Authors
  1. Bas Arts
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  2. Jelle Behagel
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  3. Séverine van Bommel
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  4. Jessica de Koning
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  5. Esther Turnhout
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bas Arts .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre, Chairgroup Forest & Nature, Wageningen University &, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Bas Arts

  2. , Forest & Nature Cons. Policy Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Jelle Behagel

  3. , Social Sciences, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, Wageningen, 6706 KN, Netherlands

    Séverine van Bommel

  4. , Forest & Nature Con. Policy Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Jessica de Koning

  5. , Forest & Nature Con. Policy Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Esther Turnhout

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Arts, B., Behagel, J., van Bommel, S., de Koning, J., Turnhout, E. (2012). Prelude to Practice: Introducing a Practice Based Approach to Forest and Nature Governance. In: Arts, B., Behagel, J., van Bommel, S., de Koning, J., Turnhout, E. (eds) Forest and Nature Governance. World Forests, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5113-2_1

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