Back to UPDATES FROM REGIONAL SECTIONS AND WORKING GROUPS

Up to Table of Contents

Ahead to SCIENTIFIC ”SPEED DATING” - A REPORT ON SCB'S EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW PRESENTATION FORMAT FOR SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

ONLINE CATALOG OF SOCIAL SCIENCE TOOLS

The Social Science Working Group (SSWG) has launched its Web Catalog of Conservation Social Science Tools (www.conbio.org/workinggroups/sswg/catalog/). The catalog is designed for conservation practitioners, planners, students, and researchers interested in the social dimensions of conservation. The aim is to provide conservation practitioners with greater capacity to integrate social sciences into their work by linking practitioners to key social science tools and methodological approaches, and by providing context for these tools. The tools in the catalog are intended to be used by practitioners with social and environmental backgrounds: social scientists familiar with biodiversity conservation, and conservation practitioners with knowledge of theoretical and methodological insights provided by the social sciences.

The catalog is organized for use by a wide audience. After a brief overview of its purpose and structure, the catalog provides introductions to the principal disciplines in conservation social science, brief descriptions of the methodological approaches underlying social science tools, introductions to common social challenges facing conservation practitioners, brief descriptions of the different types of conservation interventions, a searchable database of social science tools, and links to Web sites containing other useful resources.

The catalog includes three types of complementary resources.
-- Practical tools: manuals and guides about how to accomplish a task
-- Academic Sources: key theoretical papers or books that have influenced thinking about a specific issue or problem within conservation, and important research findings
-- Other resources: case studies, programs, workshop proceedings, policy briefs, and other resources that illuminate a topic or issue

The Catalog of Conservation Social Science Tools is a product of the SSWG Conservation Committee. The development of the catalog was led by Rodolfo Tello (World Wildlife Fund - United States intern and University of Maryland, College Park graduate student), in consultation with Diane Russell (USAID and SSWG Conservation Committee Chair) and Mike Mascia (World Wildlife Fund - United States and SSWG President). Financial support to develop the catalog was provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, with in-kind support from the World Wildlife Fund - United States Conservation Science Program and SCB.

Although the architecture of the Web site is largely developed and it is already populated with more than 260 documents, the organizers need assistance from the conservation and social science communities to make the catalog more robust. We request assistance on short written overviews of specific social science disciplines, social challenges, and methodological approaches. Please see the Web site for areas under construction.

For further information, to provide feedback, or to contribute tools and notes to the catalog, please contact Diane Russell (dirussell@usaid.gov).

Back to UPDATES FROM REGIONAL SECTIONS AND WORKING GROUPS

Up to Table of Contents

Ahead to SCIENTIFIC ”SPEED DATING” - A REPORT ON SCB'S EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW PRESENTATION FORMAT FOR SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS