Paper short abstract:

Our growing realisation of “who you are creates the story you tell” calls for a deeper reflection from ourselves on the position we occupy and a more careful focus on building more equitable relationships.

Paper long abstract:

Field based research in conservation and social sciences continues to be one of the essential forms of advancing research and intervention. In this presentation, we reflect on our multiple identities as urban, upper caste, young women in India, and our positionality working with rural, resource dependent communities with different caste and class identities. We simultaneously hold the privileges of caste and the disadvantages of gender and age; to some within the community, our urbanness and education gives us authority, while to others, it makes us suspect. Through empirical research and intervention in conservation and local community rights with forest dwelling, rural and coastal communities in India, we present experiences of the process. We examine the differences in the manners of data collection with men and women, and our engagement as young women with government officials. Our experiences from the perspective of being women from specific socio-economic backgrounds speak more broadly to the challenges, advantages and absurdities of conservation practice in India. These experiences have shown us the sensitivities of identities and related positionalities, how they can make or break relationships with people and influence the outcomes of the research or intervention. Our growing realisation of “who you are creates the story you tell” calls for a deeper reflection from ourselves on the position we occupy and a more careful focus on building more equitable relationships.