ISE Re-Envisioning

Is the ISE fulfilling its original vision as an "enabling space" for meaningful dialogue between ethnobiologists, activists, and decision-makers in Indigenous communities, academia, non-governmental organizations, and public policy fora to address current ecological and biological crises?  On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the ISE is initiating a 3-year "Re-envisioning process" to re-visit its founding mandate, evaluate its present role, and articulate a plan for its future.  The Re-envisioning process will draw on Darrell Posey's legacy and the original ideas for the Society vis a vis current developments in biodiversity and biological heritage movements in local, regional, and global contexts.

 

This year the International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) is twenty years old, having been founded at the 1st International Congress of Ethnobiology (ICE) held in Belem, Brazil in 1988.

The ISE from the beginning had the aspirations, as put in the Declaration of Belem, "to be committed to achieving a greater understanding of the complex relationships, both past and present that exist within and between human societies and their environments. The Society endeavors to promote a harmonious existence between humankind and the bios for the benefit of future generations. Ethnobiologists recognize that Indigenous people, traditional societies and local communities are critical to the conservation of biological, cultural and linguistic diversity". Towards this vision, over the years, the ISE has developed instruments like the Constitution, the Code of Ethics, the Global Coalition for the defense of Bio-cultural diversity, creating a voice to Indigenous peoples, traditional societies and local communities all contributed to voluntarily by the ISE Board members.

At 20 years of age, it is time to re-examine the original vision and see whether we have succeeded as a society to fulfill the goals set by the founders. On the other hand, we need to see how the ISE can improve in those areas we might not have put emphasis on. The re-envisioning exercise is aimed at setting strategies and priorities for the ISE for the following 20 years at least.

Become a member of the ISE Find information about the ISE Code of Ethics