Year of Award
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Name
Resource Conservation
Other Degree Name/Area of Focus
International Conservation & Development
Department or School/College
Society and Conservation
Committee Chair
Dr. Keith W. Bosak
Commitee Members
Shawn Johnson, Dr. Erim Gomez
Keywords
social-ecological justice model, justice framework, basic capabilities and ecotourism, just ecotourism, bio-cultural conservation, economic benefits
Subject Categories
Models and Methods | Nature and Society Relations | Social Justice
Abstract
Ecotourism aims to support local social, ecological, and economic systems sustainably, but its implementation often perpetuates social and environmental injustices. This work applies a new social-ecological justice (SEJ) framework to ecotourism, combining Pope et al.’s holistic approach with principles like ecological stewardship, economic repositioning, and collaboration tailored to specific contexts. Importantly, basic capabilities for full functioning of humans and other species were used in this research to measure areas of justice and injustice. Using a case study approach with the Southern Trelawny Environmental Agency (STEA) in Jamaica's Cockpit Country, co-created interview data were analyzed to evaluate its ecotourism program’s alignment with SEJ principles. Findings show that STEA’s efforts, through education, experiential learning, and social capital building, support many justice-related capabilities for both people and nature, and their mission to provide a sustainable approach to ecotourism was shown to support SEJ for Cockpit Country. While ecotourism as a capitalist endeavor may not inherently uphold SEJ principles, this study demonstrates that incorporating a SEJ lens and balancing concerns for the environment, people, and economy can enhance its contribution to justice. In addition, this research underscores the importance of collaboration and equitable participation in ecotourism design, even suggesting co-created research surrounding SEJ applications and assessments.
Recommended Citation
Curry, Laurel Ann C., "A Social-Ecological Justice Approach to Ecotourism: Examples from Cockpit Country, Jamaica" (2025). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12426.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12426
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© Copyright 2025 Laurel Ann C. Curry