Date of Graduation

Winter 12-15-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in International Studies (MAIS)

College/School

College of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program

International Studies

First Advisor

Brian Dowd-Uribe

Second Advisor

Annick Wibben

Abstract

Community-based conservation has become a common solution to addressing local communities needs and concerns when it comes to conservation initiatives associated with, or outside the boundaries of national parks. Community-based initiatives associated with Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya mark one of the first attempts to include local communities in conservation initiatives and management as well as establish systems of benefit sharing between conservation and local communities. However, a critique of community-based conservation initiatives points out they often assume community homogeneity. Assumption of community homogeneity leads to inequities in benefits sharing, exclusion of subgroups (women, ethnic minorities) or even exacerbate marginalization. This study examines the gendered impacts of community-based conservation initiatives in the Kimana/Tikondo Group Ranch near Amboseli National Park. The results from this study show gender disparities in the most frequently mentioned benefits and costs associated with community-based initiatives including school bursaries, employments, payments for ecosystem services and human-wildlife conflict.

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