Re-valuing Local Knowledges: Understanding Voice, Land and Power for Climate Action in Eastern DRC
Funder: British Academy
Principal Investigator: Dr Blake Ewing
Duration: June 2024-December 2025
Focusing on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 'Re-valuing Local Knowledges: Understanding Voice, Land and Power for Climate Action in Eastern DRC’ is an interdisciplinary project examines the relationship between voice, land and power in different cultural and epistemological traditions. For instance, indigenous communities are keenly aware of processes of degradation from their intimate relationship with the natural environment, and their accumulated experiences offer essential knowledge and techniques for environmental protection, climate mitigation and adaptation. However, local voices are overlooked, especially when they do not conform to Western approaches and expectations of environmental protection and land use.
This project aims to promote the revaluation of marginalised voices, demonstrate the importance of Indigenous knowledge for climate action, and improve understanding of locally-specific histories and cultures of voice and knowledge.