Moving beyond 'common sense' understandings of nature and society in the Scottish Highlands

超越对苏格兰高地自然和社会的“常识”理解：西罗斯地区社会-自然关系和遗产的研究受一些学者的影响，他们展示了在资本主义下用于隐藏许多社会-自然关系现实的神秘化和话语策略，我将研究苏格兰高地西罗斯地区遗产和自然-社会关系的社会建构。该研究将分析围绕自然和景观的主导话语和实践，以及地方作为文化和身份来源的作用（Escobar, 2008）。韦斯特罗斯为遗产、文化、自然和保护的情境历史研究提供了重点，因为该地区目前研究不足，尽管有丰富的研究机会。2016年，西罗斯被授予联合国教科文组织生物圈保护区地位，这是一项促进可持续人类与环境关系的保护荣誉。此外，自战后以来，该地区一直被国家行动者确定为法定保护指定，被认为是苏格兰最后的大荒野。该项目分析了在此背景下的社会-自然关系，以及与土地改革政策和盖尔语复兴的文化政治有关的关系。研究的问题是：主导话语如何构成对高地景观“自然”和“野生”的“常识性”理解？-这些论述以何种方式为围绕土地使用、资源和社会-自然关系的相关政策和实践提供信息？——这些是如何谈判和争论的？——在这一背景下及以后，自然遗产保护和社会自然过程的政策和实践有什么影响？——在全球范围内，对社会性质、基于资源的权利和正义问题敏感的其他理解能否为未来的方法提供信息？研究方法以超越存在-思维、社会-自然和主体-客体的再生产二分法的认识论为基础。因此，考虑到知识是从智力、情感和参与、感觉和经验中涌现出来的，是主观的和多重的，而不是客观的和单一的（Jubas, 2010）。最重要的是，这意味着要认识到，“脱离了实践，理论就无法与错误表述的……问题”（列斐伏尔，1982:34）。汇集来自社会学、人类学和历史学的批判认识论，我将开发一种多元的定性方法论，承认没有单一或优越的理论（Stuart, 2016）。我将创建一个跨学科的方法论框架，由学者提供信息，这些学者分别在葛兰西、德勒兹和瓜塔利的霸权和非霸权政治之间（Purcell, 2012）以及葛兰西、布迪厄和波兰尼之间（Burawoy, 2003; 2012）创造了生产性紧张关系。我将理论与实践相结合，将基于话语的方法与民族志相结合。话语产生意义并执行自然化功能，定义可接受实践的参数（Woodward, 2001），以实践为中心的方法对存在的物质条件给予了应有的关注（Krzyzanowski, 2011）。我将分析关键的文献材料，包括文本和视觉材料，主要是与当地文化和景观有关的历史资源，通过档案（Am Baile）和实地调查确定。民族志研究将在Gairloch进行；“我们的土地，我们的人民，我们的故事”的文物博物馆项目正在这里展开。在使用参与者观察（参加议会、社区和组织会议）和个人访谈的同时，我还将访问周围的民族志背景，包括附近的耕作社区、莱特韦庄园、阿普尔克罗斯遗产中心和阿勒普尔博物馆。

Moving beyond 'common sense' understandings of nature and society in the Scottish Highlands: A study of socio-natural relations and heritage in Wester RossInfluenced by scholars who have demonstrated the mystifications and discursive strategies used to hide many of the realities of socio-natural relations under capitalism, I will investigate the social construction of heritage and nature-society relationships in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands. The research will analyse dominant discourses and practices surrounding nature and landscapes and the role of place as a source of culture and identity (Escobar, 2008). Wester Ross provides the focus for a situated-historical study of heritage, culture, nature and conservation as the region is currently understudied, despite fruitful opportunities for research. Wester Ross was awarded UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status in 2016, a conservation accolade promoting sustainable human-environment relationships. Furthermore, the region has been consistently identified by national actors since post-war years for statutory conservation designations, deemed the last great wilderness of Scotland. This project analyses socio-natural relations within this context and in relation to land reform policy and the cultural politics of Gaelic language revival.The research questions are:- How do dominant discourses constitute 'common-sense' understandings of Highland landscapes as 'natural' and 'wild'?- In what ways do these discourses inform associated policies and practices surrounding land use, resources and socio-natural relationships?--How are these negotiated and contested?--What are the implications for policy and practice in natural heritage conservation and socio-natural processes in this context and beyond?--Can alternative understandings, sensitive to socio-natures, resource-based rights and justice issues on a global scale inform future approaches?MethodologyThe research methodology is informed by epistemologies which transcend reproduced dichotomies of being-thinking, social-natural and subject-object. Hence considering knowledge as emergent from intellect, emotion and engagement, feeling and experience and subjective and multiple rather than objective and singular (Jubas, 2010). Most importantly, this means recognising that "separated from praxis, theory vainly comes to grips with falsely formulated...problems" (Lefebvre, 1982: 34). Drawing together critical epistemologies from across sociology, anthropology and history, I will develop a pluralistic both/and qualitative methodology which acknowledges there is no singular or superior theory (Stuart, 2016). I will create an interdisciplinary methodological framework informed by scholars who have created productive tension between the hegemonic and non-hegemonic politics of Gramsci and Deleuze and Guattari respectively (Purcell, 2012) and between Gramsci, Bourdieu and Polanyi (Burawoy, 2003; 2012).Integrating theory and practice, I will combine discourse-based methods with ethnography. Discourses produce meaning and perform a naturalizing function, defining the parameters of acceptable practices (Woodward, 2001) and practice-focused methods give due attention to material conditions of existence (Krzyzanowski, 2011). I will analyse key documentary materials including texts and visual materials, predominantly historical resources relating to local cultures and landscapes, identified through archives (Am Baile) and fieldwork. Ethnographic research will be carried out in Gairloch; a coastal village where the heritage museum project 'Our Land, Our People, Our Story' is unfolding. Whilst using participant observations (attending councils, community and organisations' meetings) and individual interviews, I will also access surrounding ethnographic contexts, including nearby crofting communities, Letterewe Estate, Applecross Heritage Centre and Ullapool Museum.