Bina Agarwal

Professor of Development Economics and Environment, University of Manchester, and Professor of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi

who will speak on

WHEN WOMEN GOVERN FORESTS:

A HISTORY OF ABSENCE,

THE IMPACT OF PRESENCE

4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Monday, July 6, 2015

105 South Kedzie Hall

Research on gender and green governance has focused mainly on women’s near absence from institutions governing forests and other natural resources. This lecture will reverse the focus to ask: what if women were present in these institutions? Would their inclusion in forest governance—undeniably important for equity—also affect decisions on forest use and conservation outcomes? How large a presence of women constitutes a critical mass and can make an impact? Would the class of women included matter? These questions remain largely unaddressed, despite the substantial work on local environmental governance and on women’s representation in other public bodies (from parliament to village councils). Exploring the history of women’s absence, the speaker will then focus on the impact of their presence, using her primary data on communities managing local forests in India and Nepal to provide some answers.

Thanks to: The Asian Studies Center, The Center for Advanced Study of International Development, The Center for Gender in Global Context, Center For Global Connections, Kellogg Chair in Agricultural Food, and Community Ethics