Introducing Relational Values as a Tool for Shark Conservation, Science, and Management

Relational values (RV) are values that arise from a relationship with nature, encompassing a sense of place, feelings of well-being (mental and physical health), and cultural, community, or personal identities. With sharks, such values are formed by diverse groups that interact with these animals and their ecosystems, either physically or virtually, whether a scientist, student, fisher, or media-viewer. Further, these user groups may overlap or come into conflict over management plans, media portrayals of sharks, and their conservation status. Although scientists have not explicitly aimed to assess RV through sharks, qualitative studies of shark fishers, tourism operators, tourists, and the public, as well as historical and archeological accounts, can be interpreted through an analytical lens to reveal values which can also be defined as relational. To this end, this review considers studies capturing RV alongside those of economic value (increasingly, the value of a shark is appraised by their financial value in shark tourism) and the social and cultural roles of sharks. Based on these studies and the broader RV literature, we then outline a workflow for how RV can be leveraged in scientific inquiry, equitable resource management, and education. We conclude that via collaborative assessments of RV, with implicit inclusion of multiple values of sharks and by acknowledging their importance to all parties involved in user conflicts, the RV framework can lead to a constructive dialog on polarizing conservation and management issues. By illuminating shared values, and/or revealing dichotomies of values ascribed toward certain areas or objects, this framework can provide inroads to mediation, seeking to conserve or even restore relationships with nature, and their derived values as much as is possible. This approach can yield unexpected knowledge, solutions, and compromises in an increasingly complex conservation landscape

Paradox and Promise: MySpace, Facebook, and the Sociopolitics of Social Networking in the Writing Classroom

This article situates current theoretical, rhetorical, and ethical analyses of the net's most prominent social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook. It also discusses the implications of bringing these web sites into the classroom, comparing how students, teachers, and administrators use (and abuse) these spaces. Both MySpace and Facebook privilege a discourse based on the construction and representation of an identity. Rather than assert unique identities, these sites ask users to label and classify themselves according to many criteria, including age, religion, political leanings, hobbies, and interests. Users can then list others who share these labels or interests and request to “add them as friends.” MySpace and Facebook emphasize categories and aspects of popular culture that teenagers find important. They remediate the traditions of high school for the Web and by doing so greatly extend their reach. Many writing instructors wonder how these sites can be used to teach writing. How users represent themselves online could help students understand postmodern logics of identity construction and political engagement. However, there are dangers for teachers who create their own profiles and add their students as “friends.” Like chat and email, these forums undercut concepts of more conventional rhetorical spaces. They both contribute to and undermine student and faculty ethos, although students may not appreciate that their profiles might have a lasting negative impact. Despite the public nature of most profiles, users often denounce these “invasions” as blatant violations of their privacy. Perhaps teachers and scholars should work to protect the integrity of these spaces

Photovoice in the interdisciplinary climate classroom: a case study in climate adaptation pedagogy from a hybrid university course

We reflect on the use of photovoice methods in a hybrid classroom environment for an interdisciplinary course titled Climate and Society at the University of Miami. The activities, based on our team’s hyperlocal method of community-based climate adaptation engagement, create opportunities to engage with the complexities of climate science and policy solutions in unique and powerful ways. Our principal contribution is a series of exercises that can be done by educators anywhere in the world, providing a foundation for reflection and rich conversations. We conclude with recommendations and tools to aid educators in recreating the exercise in many settings

Revamping mosquito-borne disease control to tackle future threats

The global approach to mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) is in need of critical re-evaluation. Although there have been dramatic reductions in malaria incidence since 2000, malaria elimination from high-transmission settings remains problematic. At the same time, arbovirus outbreaks have increased in their frequency and impact. The 2015-2016 Zika virus epidemic exposed the dire state of MBD control in many countries, calling for united global action. Despite international resolve to prevent future epidemics, current practices in MBD control are mostly reactive and of limited efficacy. In this Opinion article, we summarize the views of 25 international mosquito experts about the current state of MBD control and highlight the issues that must be addressed in order to tackle emerging threats on the horizon

Data for Hyperlocalism: Transforming the Paradigm for Climate Adaptation study

The data collected represents photos, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, measured effects of our community engaged process, and associated metadata and process descriptions developed during our study of the Homestead and Little River communities in Miami Dade County.The HyLo_Pilot_Analysis.csv data file contains measurements for the variables designed to measure the effects of our community engaged process on individual and community capacity. The data contains measurement of individual items, and where appropriate, scales are calculated. Items measured include social connectedness, individual agency, communication apprehension, communication competence, threat assessment, and neighborhood asset quality. Additionally, the data contain community and demographic information. The Hylo_Photovoice_Data.pdf file contains 84 photos taken by study participants from the Homestead and Little River communities. Participants signed an informed consent form that includes a release of rights on the photographs for anonymous use in educational and publication contexts by this research team. Photovoice is a central component of HyLo’s community engagement. Participants were provided training on the photovoice process, the basics of photography, and engagement in participatory research. The materials included here represent the individual participant images and text. After their individual presentations, the groups collaborated to identify common themes as a foundation for the design-thinking process. Post-sessions, the HyLo team developed a coding and analytical system to develop primary and secondary codes and their valence: positive (opportunity), negative (threat), or mixed (threat and opportunity). The ICRA_20_Risk_Factors.gdb zipped file contains a geodatabase with the 20 climate risk factors (in raster format) and Integrated Climate Risk Assessment (ICRA) which combined the risk factors into one raster image. The same rasters are also available in geotiff format in the GeoTIFF_Rasters folder. The ICRA_Risk_Factors_Data_List.xlxs file contains a list and description of the 20 climate risk factors and their original data sources. The ICRA_Development.xlxs file covers the suitability modeling process and parameters for the 20 climate risk factors used to develop the ICRA. And finally, the HyLo_Data_Dictionary_and_Sources.xlxs provides metadata on all the GIS data used for the study with links to sites where they were published publicly online

Advancing a hyperlocal approach to community engagement in climate adaptation: Results from a South Florida pilot study in two communities

With increasing urgency of local and regional climate adaptation, there is a growing need for governments to identify and respond effectively to the concerns of communities they serve and to align investments. We designed and piloted a novel hyperlocal method for urban adaptation planning combining two social science tools that have been widely but separately used to foster community engagement and strategize solutions. Our not-for-profit community partners facilitated multi-session online workshops with participants from two communities in South Florida with whom they have well-established relationships and in which socio-economic conditions and climate risks represent notable vulnerabilities. The workshops first employed photovoice to elicit individual narratives about climate change impacts; participants then followed a design thinking protocol to critically evaluate the leading concerns they identified and propose adaptation solutions. Geospatial mapping and data tools were provided for participants to gain additional tools and further knowledge. Local planning and resilience officials attended some or all of the workshops as observers and interlocutors, dialoguing with participants. Comparative analysis revealed differences in risk awareness and primary concerns between communities, and further demonstrated that concerns and solutions proposed by members of at-risk neighborhoods do not always align with geospatial data that often drives infrastructure adaptation planning in the region, suggesting that more widespread use of community engaged methods could enhance government climate adaptation responses for local communities