Doctoral Dissertation Research: Multi-Scaled Ocean Governance in Micronesia

对日益恶化的海洋健康的日益关注，已将海洋治理推上了国际保护议程的首位。自然资源保护者越来越多地推动指定海洋保护区(MPA)，这是一种相对较新的海洋围栏或保护区。最近，《联合国生物多样性公约》缔约方呼吁到2020年建立一个覆盖10%海洋的全球海洋保护区网络。这项博士论文研究发展了对多尺度制度动态的新的理论和经验理解，这些制度动态正在塑造当代保护世界海洋的努力。该项目将使用和建立关于规模、叙述和保护领土的理论，以实现三个目标：1)将新的海洋治理机构产生的过程理论化；2)调查用于促进新的海洋治理机构并使其合法化的话语战略；以及3)促进对影响多尺度海洋治理机构实施的条件的理解。这项研究通过对海洋生物多样性热点地区相互关联的国际和国家保护区政策的个案研究来实现这些目标。特别关注的政策是密克罗尼西亚挑战，这是密克罗尼西亚五个国家和地区之间的承诺，以及帕劳共和国实施其对密克罗尼西亚挑战承诺的国家方案。密克罗尼西亚挑战赛正在成为其他海洋区域(如加勒比和印度洋)海洋养护的典范，使这一案例更广泛地与理解海洋治理的新机构有关。这项研究将通过多地点的民族志产生关于背景下的制度动态的细粒度知识。数据将通过深入访谈、文件审查和参与者观察来收集。数据分析将以建构主义扎根理论和模糊集定性比较分析为指导。本研究将历史、政治和地理视角引入制度动态的实证分析。结果将有助于环境治理的理论发展和关于新地理环境的辩论。该项目更广泛的影响在于其承诺，第一，培训和雇用学生协助收集和处理数据，第二，完善政策进程。与政策有关的研究成果将包括：对机构产生机制的更多了解；政策语言的战略性使用及其影响；以及促进和阻碍执行多尺度机构的条件。结果将与世界各地的政策行为者广泛相关，因为他们正在设计和执行政策，以扩大MPA的复盖面。作为博士论文研究改进奖，该奖项还将提供支持，使有前途的学生建立一个强大的独立研究生涯。

Growing attention to declining ocean health has propelled marine governance to the top of the international conservation agenda. Conservationists are increasingly promoting the designation of marine protected areas (MPAs), a relatively new variety of marine enclosure, or conservation territory. Most recently, the parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity called for a global network of MPAs to cover 10% of oceans by 2020. This doctoral dissertation research develops new theoretical and empirical understanding of the multi-scaled institutional dynamics that are shaping contemporary efforts to protect the world's oceans. The project will use and build theory on scale, narrative, and conservation territory to achieve three objectives: 1) theorize the process through which new institutions for ocean governance emerge; 2) investigate the discursive strategies used to promote and legitimize new institutions for ocean governance; and 3) contribute understanding of the conditions that affect implementation of multi-scaled institutions for ocean governance. The research approaches these objectives through a case study of interlinked international and national protected area policies in marine biodiversity hotspots. The particular policies of interest are the Micronesia Challenge, a commitment among five nations and territories in Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau's national program for the implementation of its commitment to the Micronesia Challenge. The Micronesia Challenge is serving as a model for marine conservation in other oceanic regions (e.g., the Caribbean and Indian Ocean), making the case more broadly relevant to understanding new institutions for ocean governance. The study will yield fine-grained knowledge on institutional dynamics in context through a multi-site ethnography. Data will be collected through in-depth interviews, document review, and participant observation. Data analysis will be guided by constructivist grounded theory and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis.This research brings historical, political, and geographic perspectives to an empirical analysis of institutional dynamics. Results will contribute to theory development and debates about new geographies of environmental governance. The broader impacts of this project lie in its commitment, first, to train and employ students to aid in data collection and processing and, second, to refine policy processes. Policy relevant research results will include increased understanding of the mechanisms for institutional emergence; the strategic use of policy language and the implications thereof; and conditions that facilitate and hinder the implementation of multi-scaled institutions. Results will be broadly relevant to policy actors worldwide as they design and implement policies to increase MPA coverage. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.