Doctoral Dissertation Research: Evaluating Consultation and Informed Consent via Social Network Analysis

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Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a principle that is intended to promote the full and effective participation of indigenous and other local community members in decisions that affect them, including all stages of planned conservation and development. The research supported by this award investigates the concept of informed consent within the context of a carbon sequestration program. Understanding how to evaluate and improve current FPIC consultation methodologies is essential to minimizing conflicts and ensuring long-term ecological sustainability. In addition to providing funding for the training of a graduate student in anthropology in the methods of empirical, scientific data collection and analysis, the project would enhance understanding of basic science and the scientific method by broadly disseminating its findings to organizations engaged in optimizing practices for individual and community informed consent. The research project will be carried out by the University of Maryland doctoral student, Jessica Breitfeller, with guidance from Dr. Janet Chernela. At a site where policies for indigenous consultation (FPIC) are being developed, this project will explore the process of information delivery to indigenous communities affected by carbon sequestration projects (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation: REDD+). The research design tests hypotheses that center on how attributes of network ties and structure affect information transfer. Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews, social network mapping and analysis, participant observation, and document analysis. Findings from the study will contribute to scientific understanding of the processes, including knowledge exchange and policy translation, that underlie FPIC protocols. In addition, this research will present a replicable framework through which to evaluate consultative processes and inform future consultation designs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.