Sociology's potential to improve forest management and inform forest policy

Abstract

Sociology has made only minor contributions to forest management and policy in the past. Changes in the dominant paradigm of forest management have opened a window of opportunity for practical applications of sociology in a forestry context. Sociological analyses of stakeholder values, social movements, conflict and its resolution, poverty in forest-dependence regions, complex organizations, and global restructuring may provide insight and valuable data to forest managers and policy makers. Recent theoretical advances with respect to community stability may also have important policy implications. Key words: Community stability, social movements, public involvement, stakeholder values, rural poverty