[PCA] Online Catalog of Social Science Tools

[Patricia_Ford at fws.gov]

>From the 9 Nov 2006 Society for Conservation Biology Newsletter:

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.