New thesis: Traditional leaders important actors in environmental work

By cooperating with traditional leaders, weak states can strengthen their ability to govern in regions where state influence is limited. But to understand how these partnerships work, it is not enough to look at formal governance documents. You also need to study the informal structures. This is the conclusion of a new political science thesis on national park management in southern Africa.

Most of the world's states lack the capacity to govern parts of their own territory. Some of these regions where state control is limited are instead governed, to a greater or lesser extent, by local leaders whose authority rests on traditional systems. In recent decades, such traditional systems have been strengthened by various national and international agreements that give local populations a say in matters that affect them.

Many of the world's ecological crises are taking place in areas where traditional leaders have significant influence. To tackle environmental problems such as drought, flooding, deforestation and biodiversity loss, it is therefore important for governments to find ways to work with local leaders.

South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique are studied

The thesis studies national park management in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique because traditional authorities are often active in areas where national parks exist. Quite early in the thesis, its author, Moa Dahlberg, realised that it is not enough to look only at the formal rules governing the relationship between the state and local leaders.

“As one government official said to me: ´I can show you all the official documents and guidelines that are in my office or I can tell you how we actually do it.'”

In her thesis, she shows that the formal role of traditional authorities is as advisors. Although the role of advisor is set out in policy documents, it is not necessarily applied.

“Some traditional leaders are invited to advisory meetings, others are not. Some who are invited do not come because they do not believe that state officials will take their views into account. Trust between state representatives and traditional authorities is generally low.”

Acting as mediators

The extent and form of informal cooperation between traditional authorities and state representatives varies widely across regions. Traditional leaders can act as mediators between the state and the local population. In some cases, traditional courts are allowed to operate in parallel with the state.

“Local people often feel that the state is absent, that they do not benefit from public welfare. They feel that state officials do not take notice of them except when they are arresting someone for poaching. However, parallel justice systems and local leaders trained in wildlife management can strengthen the state's ability to conserve biodiversity in these areas.”

Moa Dahlberg emphasises that although cooperation can strengthen the state's legitimacy and capacity to some extent, informal cooperation is not entirely unproblematic. When it is up to the individuals representing the state and the traditional systems to decide on the form of cooperation, there is a risk of lack of legal certainty, equal treatment and corruption. From this perspective, formalised cooperation is often preferable. Formalised cooperation also has the advantage that it is easier to see who has made a certain decision and thus to claim responsibility.

The conclusions of the thesis are based on about 100 interviews with government representatives, including park managers and other officials, traditional leaders, local people and various interest groups, as well as survey interviews with about 3000 local residents.

• Read the thesis in full text External link, opens in new window.