Month: August 2024

Abstract

Indigenous communities worldwide have cultivated and preserved invaluable ecological knowledge on biodiversity conservation long before the formalisation of scientific inquiry. Rooted in familial intimacy with nature and an acute ability to discern subtle micro-changes, these communities profoundly understand the patterns and processes shaping their natural world. In Nigeria, a nation boasting diverse indigenous peoples and rich biodiversity, this unique knowledge system finds limited recognition within the current legal framework on biodiversity conservation. In response to the persistent decline of biodiversity within and beyond protected areas in the country, the paper argues for a shift grounded in integrating indigenous ecological knowledge(I.E.K) into the existing laws and policies on biodiversity conservation. The findings of this paper demonstrate the need for a transformative change- one demanding a fundamental reorganisation in the design, implementation, and enforcement of biodiversity policies in the country to prioritise the rights and agency of indigenous peoples and local communities in biodiversity policies. It submits that by acknowledging and incorporating indigenous knowledge into legal frameworks, the country can effectively combat biodiversity loss and foster a more inclusive, sustainable approach that aligns with the vision of the country and the global conservation goals.

Abstract

Prior research has demonstrated that women and racial minority undergraduate students experience stereotype threat in unwelcoming STEM classrooms in predominantly White institutions. Drawing from focus group and journal entry data with Latinx and African American undergraduate students (N = 52) majoring in a STEM field at an institution that holds both Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and AANAPISI designations in Southern California, we find that Latinx and Black undergraduate students narrate exclusion from faculty and peers in four main ways: (1) exclusionary STEM classroom culture fomented by faculty, (2) study group stereotype threat, (3) nuances in Black student undergraduate experiences, and (4) unaddressed gendered discrimination. We find that Latinx and African American undergraduates enrolled at a minority serving institution highlight that STEM faculty foment stereotype threat in their classroom culture, which trickles down to students and negatively impacts their ability to develop the necessary social capital networks with both faculty and peers to succeed.