Navigating Reconciliation through Cultural Flows for Industrialized Free-Flowing Rivers
Date
2021-04-16
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0000-0002-7174-8142
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Cultural flows are an emergent water policy tool gaining recognition for their potential to overcome the continued marginalization of Indigenous peoples’ interests in Canadian freshwater governance, but quantified cultural flows are rarely adopted by state governments. Using community-based participatory research and leveraging an Ethical Space Framework, this research provides practical insight into the adoption of cultural flows in ways mutually acceptable to state governments and Indigenous peoples. The practical insight was gained by demonstrating the significance of a quantified cultural flows example termed Aboriginal Navigation Flows from Alberta and the institutional influences on its adoption by a state government. Data collected through documents and interviews revealed that ANF were significant because they translated an Indigenous conception of wellness connecting river navigability, boating, human relationships, human-waterscape relationships, Indigenous rights, and self-determined change adaptation. These insights into ANF significance showed how cultural flows could meaningfully shape freshwater governance in which environmental flow assessments for free-flowing rivers are undertaken. Data collected through documents and interviews and analyzed using the Implementing Innovation Framework revealed that structural institutions critically influenced ANF adoption. Joint communications by collaborating Indigenous peoples worked to overcome state government resistance grounded in vested economic interests. To reshape structural institutions, cultural drivers of ANF adoption could be better leveraged by overcoming individual barriers to ANF adoption. Collectively, these insights into ANF adoption show how freshwater governance arenas may become ethical spaces.
Description
Keywords
Cultural flows, Reconciliation, River navigability, Environmental flows
Citation
Degree
Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.)
Department
School of Environment and Sustainability
Program
Environment and Sustainability