Ecosociology

Environmental challenges cannot be understood through ecological science alone. They are bound up with social, cultural, economic and governance systems, so conserving biodiversity requires understanding the people who depend on ecosystems, shape them, and are in turn shaped by them.

This division examines how communities interact with forests, rivers, wetlands, coasts and agricultural landscapes, focusing on community-based conservation, sustainable livelihoods, environmental governance, citizen science, environmental education, participatory restoration and the social dimensions of climate resilience.

Particular emphasis goes to indigenous and local communities whose traditional knowledge and stewardship have sustained tropical landscapes for generations. By integrating scientific research with community perspectives, we look for solutions that are socially equitable, culturally respectful and ecologically sustainable.