Papers by Marisa A Rinkus
Communication Practice for Team Science
AESS interdisciplinary environmental studies and sciences series, Dec 31, 2022
Oryx, 2021
Gender is an explanatory factor in multiple dimensions of conservation, including women's acc... more Gender is an explanatory factor in multiple dimensions of conservation, including women's access to and participation in conservation programmes, with gender bias in wildlife research persisting globally. There is reason to believe the current global wildlife crime crisis is no exception, with a lack of critical examination of gendered roles in security for biodiversity conservation. Despite the emergence of high-profile all-women ranger units (e.g. Akashinga in Zimbabwe) there has been a lack of systematic integration of gender within biodiversity protection. Theoretical and methodological applications from criminology have become progressively more common in response to an increase in a wide range of environmental crimes with consequences for women and their communities. Here we consider the implications of the lack of knowledge of women's direct and indirect roles in wildlife security. We used the criminology and conservation literature to identify key gaps in research, a...
Crossdisciplinarity
Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Jun 20, 2024
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2024
The importance of interdisciplinary approaches for research and education in environmental studie... more The importance of interdisciplinary approaches for research and education in environmental studies and sciences is well known. Integration of the multiple disciplinary approaches taught in separate courses required within these undergraduate majors and minors, however, remains a challenge. Program faculty often come from different departments and do not have time or space to integrate their own approaches with each other, resulting in individual ways of understanding interdisciplinarity. Secondly, senior capstone, thesis, or other project-based degree requirements often come too late in an undergraduate education to design an integrative project. Students would benefit from prior training in identifying complementary or divergent approaches and insights among academic specializations-a skill built from raising interdisciplinary consciousness. We present a workshop designed to enhance undergraduates' interdisciplinary consciousness that can be easily deployed within courses or co-curricular programs, specifically summer research programs that are focused on dedicated practice within a field of study. The central question of this project is: How do we facilitate interdisciplinary consciousness and assess its impact on our students? We propose a promising, dialogue-based intervention that can be easily replicated. This dialogue would benefit academic programs like environmental studies and sciences that require the interaction and integration of discipline-based norms. We found that our dialogue intervention opens students' perspectives on the nature of research, who research is for, epistemological differences, and the importance of practicing the research process, a unique educational experience. These perspectives are crucial to becoming collaborative, twenty-first century professionals.
Oryx, 2021
Gender is an explanatory factor in multiple dimensions of conservation, including women's access ... more Gender is an explanatory factor in multiple dimensions of conservation, including women's access to and participation in conservation programmes, with gender bias in wildlife research persisting globally. There is reason to believe the current global wildlife crime crisis is no exception, with a lack of critical examination of gendered roles in security for biodiversity conservation. Despite the emergence of high-profile all-women ranger units (e.g. Akashinga in Zimbabwe) there has been a lack of systematic integration of gender within biodiversity protection. Theoretical and methodological applications from criminology have become progressively more common in response to an increase in a wide range of environmental crimes with consequences for women and their communities. Here we consider the implications of the lack of knowledge of women's direct and indirect roles in wildlife security. We used the criminology and conservation literature to identify key gaps in research, and relevant and robust typologies and frameworks informed by criminology to structure future research on women as offenders, protectors (handlers, managers, guardians) and victims of wildlife crime. We argue that more intentional research into the direct and indirect roles of women in wildlife crime is needed to address wildlife crime, protect biodiversity and support social justice in response to wildlife crimes.
Oryx, 2021
Gender is an explanatory factor in multiple dimensions of conservation, including women's acc... more Gender is an explanatory factor in multiple dimensions of conservation, including women's access to and participation in conservation programmes, with gender bias in wildlife research persisting globally. There is reason to believe the current global wildlife crime crisis is no exception, with a lack of critical examination of gendered roles in security for biodiversity conservation. Despite the emergence of high-profile all-women ranger units (e.g. Akashinga in Zimbabwe) there has been a lack of systematic integration of gender within biodiversity protection. Theoretical and methodological applications from criminology have become progressively more common in response to an increase in a wide range of environmental crimes with consequences for women and their communities. Here we consider the implications of the lack of knowledge of women's direct and indirect roles in wildlife security. We used the criminology and conservation literature to identify key gaps in research, a...
Participation in conservation programs is often viewed as a necessity, but understanding of this ... more Participation in conservation programs is often viewed as a necessity, but understanding of this participation is limited. This research takes a different approach by also examining participation in non-conservation-related activities. Questionnaires (N = 339) were administered in four Brazilian coastal communities where the national sea turtle conservation project conducts monitoring and outreach. Employing social capital as a conceptual framework, measurements included participation in civic, community, and social activities along with group participation and collective action. Confirmatory factor analysis was used for validating measures of social capital and conservation perceptions. Structural equation modeling indicated that social capital has a positive relationship with participation in sea turtle conservation, suggesting that general levels of participation and community norms of participation could be just as influential as conservation perceptions to engage communities in conservation. Information gained by deconstructing participation may be used to design and target conservation programs, improving overall participation.
Full Access to the article can be found here:
http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/EVUD6GFbBFGNiWQhxiIA/full
This paper contributes to the literature regardinggendered patterns of participation in conservat... more This paper contributes to the literature regardinggendered patterns of participation in conservation by examin-ing participation in sea turtle conservation and community lifein coastal Northeast Brazil. We used a mixed methods ap-proach, comprised of questionnaires and focus groups, andour findings indicate that conservation participation can bepartially explained by gendered characteristics related to is-sues of structural access, cultural attitudes and values, andagency. Results show greater gender differences in accessand agency than attitudes toward sea turtle conservation, dem-onstrating how patterns of participation are influenced byclose knit and gendered social networks that decrease an in-dividual’s chance of being invited to participate. While genderissues are not universal, a framework examining issues ofstructure, culture, and agency allows differences related toage, class, race, etc. to be considered as well, presenting usefulinformation in understanding the barriers and motivations in-volved in conservation participation.
Society & Natural Resources, 2018
Scholars conducting research on either the social or biological dimensions of conservation practi... more Scholars conducting research on either the social or biological dimensions of conservation practice may confront harassment, violence, and sexual assault. While guidelines for researcher safety usually cover the obvious perils encountered while conducting research in nature and with wild animals, less attention has been focused on the dangers associated with encountering and confronting humans. The aim of review boards for both human and animal subjects is to protect research participants. But who protects the researcher? This paper extends these calls to conservation researchers, initiating an open discussion on fieldwork safety, particularly the role of gender and power dynamics within the conservation field. We offer two themes for discussion: institutional responsibility and professional community responsibility. Our aim is to encourage dialogue regarding codes of practice for fieldwork safety at multiple institutional levels that acknowledge and provide support for the varying forms of harassment researchers face during fieldwork.
A Guide to Field Philosophy: Case Studies and Practical Strategies, 2020
Successful collaboration requires effective communication. Differences in professional, disciplin... more Successful collaboration requires effective communication. Differences in professional, disciplinary, or cultural background can create opportunities for innovative collaboration, but they also create challenges to free-flowing communication. What follows is an account of a collaborative effort to develop philosophical tools designed to help meet these challenges-tools that are now in high demand and are being adapted and exported to new contexts. Our effort-the Toolbox Dialogue Initiative (TDI)-originated in the collaboration of scientists and philosophers at the University of Idaho (UI) in 2005, and it has affected thousands of researchers from hundreds of disciplines since then. That philosophy could be used to clarify the communicative problems of interdisci-plinary teams is not at all obvious, especially to those who are familiar with the culture of academic philosophy. Perhaps it is less surprising, then, that the relevance of philosophy to interdisciplinary communication was suggested by graduate students outside of philosophy who were engaged in an Integrative Graduate Education and Traineeship (IGERT) project. The IGERT Program was an effort by the US National Science Foundation to change the culture of graduate education so that students could acquire focused interdisciplinary training. The educational model developed with IGERT support by the UI and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) was distinctive in its emphasis on team-based integration (Bosque-Pérez et al. 2016). Students pursuing expertise in different agricultural and natural resource disciplines were grouped into teams of four and required to: (a) identify research questions integrating their different disciplinary perspectives that would structure their dissertation work, and (b) produce dissertations that included at least one chapter jointly authored by the team. Experienced interdisciplinary scientists did what they could to ensure that all the
International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 2020
Interaction is the distinctive feature of focus groups, yet little attention has been devoted to ... more Interaction is the distinctive feature of focus groups, yet little attention has been devoted to understanding techniques for enhancing the quality of interactions. We argue that using a quantitative survey instrument with focus groups has specific benefits beyond traditional open-ended topic lists or questions. We describe particular features of a survey that provoke reflection and reaction by participants, thereby deepening dialogue. When using this approach, we recommend that individuals complete the survey privately first, reflecting and taking a position on the statements individually, and then engage in discussion, which can surface differences and similarities. Drawing on our work with the Toolbox Dialogue Initiative involving collaborative cross-disciplinary research, we demonstrate the benefits of such a survey instrument to initiate and sustain productive dialogue, in this case regarding scientific beliefs and values. We conclude with a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of this approach, as well as recommendations for designing and using survey items for focus groups.
Increasing participation in conservation programs is viewed as necessary in today’s world; howeve... more Increasing participation in conservation programs is viewed as necessary in today’s world; however, more knowledge is needed regarding how to engage communities. This dissertation aims to deconstruct participation by exploring community-level social capital, gender differences, and their potential influence on attitudes and participation in conservation programs. Instead of solely evaluating current participation and participants in conservation programs, this study employs the conceptualization of social capital (networks, trust, and norms) to examine both conservation and non-conservation related participation in four communities along the northern coast of Bahia, Brazil. The dissertation is organized into three chapters, with the first presenting five considerations for improving our understanding, application, and assessment of participation in conservation. I propose that the conceptualization of participation held by conservation scholars and practitioners needs to mirror already-established ideals of participation at the community level, bringing clarity and specificity to participation in theory and practice, and addressing issues of space and context. The second chapter examines the influence of social capital and conservation attitudes on participation in sea turtle conservation in northeast Brazil by employing confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings suggest that social capital could be just as influential as conservation attitudes when working to engage communities in conservation. The third chapter uses a mixed methods approach to explore gender differences in conservation participation by investigating gender differences in access, attitudes and agency in participation. Questionnaires and focus groups indicate greater gender differences in access and agency than attitudes toward sea turtle conservation. In addition, my findings provide new information on how people want to participate based on motivations and activities that better match their needs, responsibilities, interests and desired benefits. Social capital provides a framework for understanding how the structural and cognitive aspects of participation interact, providing a more complete picture of community dynamics and individual interests. By deconstructing non-conservation related participation at the community level to understand how and why people participate, as well as the underlying influences, this research can be used to better the design and target of conservation programs resulting in greater and more meaningful participation by a more diverse representation of the community.
This research explores watershed-based storm water regulation and a proposed structural best mana... more This research explores watershed-based storm water regulation and a proposed structural best management practice (BMP) in an urban commercial area of Lansing, Michigan, by deconstructing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of key stakeholders.
Using a mixed-methods approach, semi-structured interviews (N = 27) with jurisdictional stakeholders and a researcher administered questionnaire (N = 370) sampling four primary user groups (residents, recreational users, shoppers, and businesses) within the
drainage basin of the proposed BMP were conducted. Results indicate that watershed based regulation has increased awareness of storm water issues among municipal actors and fostered multi-jurisdictional collaboration. Respondents exhibited strong support for innovative BMPs, such as rain gardens and constructed wetlands, for their aesthetic and environmental benefits, however financial responsibility was still of concern. Perceived barriers to such practices included cost, construction time, maintenance, lack of standardization in application, and uncertainty of water quality benefits. These findings have implications for municipalities seeking to build support for storm water BMPs and adapting the watershed approach to regulate storm water in urbanized areas.
Collaborative watershed management has been heavily promoted and widely implemented to address a ... more Collaborative watershed management has been heavily promoted and widely implemented to address a variety of natural resource concerns, resulting in the adoption and adaptation of the approach to management by regulatory agencies. Although several characteristics or indicators of success for watershed partnerships have been identified in the literature, these often portray a direct cause and effect relationship between partnership characteristics and outcomes. However, partnerships involve dynamic processes that can be influenced by both form and function (internally and externally) throughout various stages of the partnerships’ existence. Our study presents an evaluation framework from the group process and evaluation literature to highlight the importance of evaluating ‘intermediate measures of partnership success’ in watershed partnerships, using the case of Michigan’s voluntary watershed-based stormwater permit. Given the increasing use of watershed partnerships in a regulatory setting that is constantly in flux and the difficulty in assessing the effects of such groups on water quality, results suggest the utility of ‘intermediate measures of partnership success’ for assessing partnership process in order to provide ongoing feedback and incentives to ensure long-term success.
Book Reviews by Marisa A Rinkus
Gendered Perspectives on International Development
Teaching Documents by Marisa A Rinkus
Learning Outcomes: A greater awareness and understanding of feminist and gender issues in diver... more Learning Outcomes: A greater awareness and understanding of feminist and gender issues in diverse contexts. An ability to identify key focuses of major conversation informing contemporary feminism, including a sense of how feminist theorizing grows out of women's everyday lives and practices. Increasing abilities to articulate, employ, and develop your own feminist ideas and concepts. Course Description: Feminism involves the belief that women experience political, economic, cultural, personal, and social oppression and the claim that such oppression is unjust. The word " feminism, " most closely associated with the U.S. women's movement, refers to political activism by women on behalf of women. Feminist theory builds knowledge of women's oppression by describing women's situations and the injustices confronted in order to develop methods and strategies for resisting subordination and improving women's lives. It is important to remember that the meaning of " feminism " is not static, changing throughout time, space and place. Contemporary principles of feminism support gender equality and inclusivity. Throughout the semester we will explore, rethink, and debate theories of feminism and gender from a variety of intellectual,
Methods and case studies related to gender, ecology, and environmental studies. Methodological an... more Methods and case studies related to gender, ecology, and environmental studies. Methodological and fieldwork issues from a feminist perspective in international and intercultural contexts. Qualitative and quantitative methods for integrating social and environmental data. Interdisciplinary course cross-listed with several departments, including Fisheries and Wildlife, Forestry, Geography, Sociology, and Community Sustainability.
Effects of economic, political, social and environmental change on women in developing countries.... more Effects of economic, political, social and environmental change on women in developing countries. Interrelationships of gender, class, race, and nationality.
Technical Reports by Marisa A Rinkus
US state reports on population and the environment: Michigan
This is the second in a series of U.S. State Reports on Population and the Environment, published... more This is the second in a series of U.S. State Reports on Population and the Environment, published by the Center for Environment and Population (CEP). The brief, easy-to-read reports feature science-based information and analysis on human population and environmental interactions. The CEP series also includes the groundbreaking U.S. National Report on Population and the Environment, a compilation of population-environment highlights in the nation. The U.S. State Reports are followed by directly related activities to discuss the reports’ findings and generate policy and public advocacy addressing the issues at the local, national, and international levels. This project focuses on the U.S. population’s environmental impact, and the nation’s role within the global context.
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Papers by Marisa A Rinkus
Full Access to the article can be found here:
http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/EVUD6GFbBFGNiWQhxiIA/full
Using a mixed-methods approach, semi-structured interviews (N = 27) with jurisdictional stakeholders and a researcher administered questionnaire (N = 370) sampling four primary user groups (residents, recreational users, shoppers, and businesses) within the
drainage basin of the proposed BMP were conducted. Results indicate that watershed based regulation has increased awareness of storm water issues among municipal actors and fostered multi-jurisdictional collaboration. Respondents exhibited strong support for innovative BMPs, such as rain gardens and constructed wetlands, for their aesthetic and environmental benefits, however financial responsibility was still of concern. Perceived barriers to such practices included cost, construction time, maintenance, lack of standardization in application, and uncertainty of water quality benefits. These findings have implications for municipalities seeking to build support for storm water BMPs and adapting the watershed approach to regulate storm water in urbanized areas.
Book Reviews by Marisa A Rinkus
Teaching Documents by Marisa A Rinkus
Technical Reports by Marisa A Rinkus