Journal of Coastal Zone Management

Abstract

Decision Making in Social Ecological Systems: The Influence of 'Van Chai' on Decision Making in Biosphere Reserves and Marine Protected Areas in Vietnam

Bieke Abelshausen*, Tom Vanwing, Wolfgang Jacquet, Huy Thanh Nguyen, Thao Le Ngoc and Pieter Meurs

Contextualisation in environmental management has been recognised for its importance for sustainable development for several decades. The provision of empirical justification for this understanding is however not extensively available. Analysis of empirical data is conducted for this provision through research in decision making processes and participation in two specific social-ecological contexts in Vietnam, i.e. the Cu Lao Cham–Hoi An Biosphere Reserve and the Ran Trao Marine Protected Area in Vietnam. Questionnaire based quantitative analysis included the exploration of differences between and within the two research areas from both a participation rate and a decision-making perspective. The analysis reveals that differentiations exist between the different levels of social organisation for both participation rate and decision making. Measures of association can be found indicating that the odds of the occurrence of participatory and non-participatory processes in everyday village life increases or decreases the occurrence of participatory processes in the management approach. The social and cultural organisation of these two research areas, when compared to similar research conducted in Vietnam reveals that “Van Chai”, a village organisation based on kinship and livelihood, provides explanation as to why these differentiations exist. The presence of “Van Chai” reveals that the notion of contextualising Integrated Coastal Zone Management finds its necessity not only in an ecological system, but also in a social system, i.e. in a social-ecological system.

Published Date: 2024-01-09; Received Date: 2023-12-01