2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Revitalising/Re-imagining the Commons in an era of social and environmental change: A Next step in Commons Research
| Project/Area Number |
19K12454
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
Delaney Alyne 東北大学, 東北アジア研究センター, 准教授 (70823441)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
三俣 学 兵庫県立大学, 国際商経学部, 教授 (10382251)
齋藤 暖生 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 助教 (10450214)
山下 詠子 東京農業大学, 地域環境科学部, 助教 (10733561)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Keywords | コモンス / 新居住者 / 伝統コモンズ / 森林コモンズ / 森林整備 / 沿岸コモンズ / 漁民の森 / 郊外のコモンズ |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This project investigates 3 types of Japanese commons/commoners (fisheries-forestry-urban) to uncover how commons can be re-imagined. In this era of demographic, economic, and environmental change, we find commons resource and benefits often mismatched, with underuse a major issue.
2019 was Year 1 of the project. Consequently, primary activities focused on surveying literature on commons underuse, forestry commons, 漁民の森 and common property forests. Initial presentations and papers have been prepared from these reviews. One such paper hypothesized that, since iriai forests developed during modernization with financial functions (often divided with exclusive right of local/traditional people), making them exclusive, such forests will be difficult to open to new residents or outsiders.
Intensive fieldwork is planned for the next phase of the project, and in anticipation of this, some initial interviews and pilot studies were conducted to set the stage for the main fieldwork, especially in the fisheries/sea commons case. These pilot interviews highlight the importance of networks and social ties in beginning new activities and expanding old practices.
The consortium also organized and participated in the workshop “Sustainable development and East Asian commons” with RIHN (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature) and Korean commons scholar where we exchanged ideas, observed the mismatch on suburban iriai forests, held extensive discussions, and participated in a walking tour and presentations with local forest stakeholders.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Current progress to date is adequate.
As planned, the work until now has focused on literature reviews and beginning pilot interviews and pilot fieldwork. The literature reviews conducted are extensive and compromise a solid base. The pilot interviews are enabling good understanding at the local level, and aid in choosing the intensive fieldwork locations.
The project start ("kick off") meeting was held at Tohoku University in May of 2019 with another group meeting planned with our international member (Prof. Margaret McKean) planned for February 2020. Due to scheduling difficulties and the new coronovirus situation, this second group meeting is re-scheduled to July 2020. This change in timing is minor and does not impact the project timeline.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Plans for Year 2 of the research follows our original project proposal. The next steps include: 1.conducting intensive fieldwork; 2.participating in project skype meetings; and 3.holding a consortium meeting with our international member where we will discuss our comparative cases and plan the co-edited book. Given the new-coronvirus situation, it is difficult to say how fieldwork plans will be impacted. Some interviews can be held by phone with group meetings delayed until later in the year. Since fieldwork is planned until Month 28, slight delays do not impact the research timeline.
Year 3 will include finalizing fieldwork, attending the Global Commons (IASC) meetings, conducting the research synthesis, and submitting the co-edited book volume. Indiviudal articles will also be written.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to scheduling conflicts with our international member, and the new-coronavirus situation, the workshop planned with Professor Margaret McKean is delayed until later in 2020. This means the travel money associated with this needs to be rolled over to the next research year.
Additionally, pilot fieldwork has been delayed in the urban commons, partly due to the new corona virus situation. This travel money is also rolled over to the next year.
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