Environmental
Governance and Conflict Management in Belize
In 2013, PARCC launched a grant-funded project in Belize
designed to strengthen the capacity of government and civil society
organizations to constructively manage environmental disputes in that country.
Belize is a hotspot for environmental conservation and natural tourism due to
its ecological richness and unique coastal reef system, but growing foreign
debt and the recent discovery of oil reserves have led to conflicts over the
best use for the country’s natural resources. Government officials and NGO
staff lack the skills to manage the disputes arising among groups with
competing visions for the country’s future. For nearly 30 years, PARCC has
offered skills-based training through the Summer Institute for Creative
Collaboration and Conflict Resolution. With a grant from the Oak Foundation,
project directors Steven Brechin and Catherine Gerard are
collaborating with University of Belize faculty to establish a similar program
at that institution. Their goal is to teach critical skills to public officials
and civil society leaders there, and to provide a curriculum for ongoing
training in collaborative governance, negotiation, conflict management, and dispute
resolution.
PARTICIPATING FACULTY: Steven Brechin (Emeritus, Sociology), Catherine Gerard (Public Administration), Neil Katz (Emeritus, Public Affairs), Peter Castro (Anthropology), and Robert Rubinstein (Anthropology)