Shaped by race: why “race” still matters in the challenges facing biodiversity conservation in Africa

Abstract

This article uses experiences from South Africa to argue that, despite progress made in making biodiversity conservation compatible with social, political and economic changes, progress could still be limited by reluctance of social actors to acknowledge and engage with the issue of race. The article argues that acknowledging the history of conservation in Africa, including close ties to racially charged colonialism, could be a positive impetus in the transformation of conservation to make it more socially, economically and politically justifiable.

Keywords:

• conservation
• poverty reduction
• South Africa
• race

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank Connaught Start-up Grant of the University of Toronto for funding. Thanks also go to the anonymous referees for comments on an earlier draft.