Do river basin committees contribute to the transition from centralized management to adaptive governance? Reflections from Uruguay

Resumen del trabajo presentado en modalidad virtual en la "2022 Toronto Conference on Earth System Governance" (octubre de 2022).Agencia Nacional de Investigación e InnovaciónInstituto Interamericano para la Investigación del Cambio Globa

Citizen deliberation in the context of Uruguay’s first National Water Plan

As part of the formulation of the first National Water Plan (NWP) in Uruguay, a mini-public process called ‘Citizen Deliberation on Water (Deci Agua)’ was developed in 2016. While the draft of the plan was being discussed in the formal arenas of water governance (Basin Commissions and Regional Water Resources Councils), a University research team (led by the authors), in coordination with the national water authority, adapted the mechanism of consensus conferences in order to incorporate the citizens’ visions and to contribute to public understanding of the NWP challenges. This article analyses the main aspects of the developed participation strategy and discusses them regarding a set of quality criteria used to evaluate deliberative processes. Although the final version of the NWP (passed by decree in 2017) incorporated some of the contributions of the Citizen Panel, an in-depth analysis of the scope of the deliberative process of Deci Agua allows us to delve into some key aspects related to the quality of participation processes and the challenges. A mixed approach that combines stakeholder participation and lay citizens is novel and desirable in water governance since it increases the scope of participation, deepens the legitimacy of decision-making and improves the public debate

Una investigación participativa en la costa uruguaya: características, desafíos y oportunidades para la enseñanza universitaria

Approaches that promote some kind of community participation have been increasingly used for addressing socio-environmental problems. One of these approaches is participatory research (PR), a research strategy in which diverse stakeholders work collaboratively around an issue of common interest. The group formed to carry out the research participates horizontally in every stage, from choosing the research question to the dissemination of the results. The application of this approach in university education represents a challenge from various perspectives: it redefines the role of the specialist; it questions the traditional views of science and its method; and it promotes the reflection, not only about these topics but about the research/action binomial. After characterizing the participatory research approach, the objective of this paper is to describe three experiences of university education related to a participatory research in the artisanal fishery of Piriápolis (Uruguay). Based on them we discuss the potentials and challenges of the inclusion of this approach in university education in Uruguay. The PR in Piriápolis was initiated in 2011 aiming at addressing local problems of the artisanal fishery among different stakeholders: artisanal fishers, university researchers, government agency in charge of fisheries management, and NGOs. This PR was initiated during a doctoral research, encompassed an undergraduate research, and served as a platform for an undergraduate course in sciences. From these experiences we argue that PR represents a transdisciplinary approach that strengthens, methodologically and conceptually, university initiatives for integral education with emphasis on inter or transdisciplinarity and knowledge dialogue. Additionally, PR can be compatible with undergraduate and graduate theses, and can be linked to diverse educational platforms.Enfoques que promovem algum tipo de participação comunitária estão sendo cada vez mais utilizados para abordar problemáticas socioambientais. Um exemplo são as pesquisas participativas (PP): estratégias de pesquisa nas quais diversos atores trabalham de forma colaborativa para um tema de interesse comum. O grupo de trabalho formado para conduzir a pesquisa participa, de forma horizontal, em todas as etapas, desde a definição da pergunta de pesquisa até a difusão dos resultados. A aplicação destes enfoques na formação universitária representa desafios por vários pontos de vista: redefine o papel do especialista; questiona as visões científicas tradicionais e seus métodos; e promove a reflexão, nao só sobre estas temáticas, mas também sobre o binômio pesquisa/ação. Após caracterizar o enfoque específico das PP, o objetivo desde trabalho é descrever três experiências de formação universitária vinculadas a uma PP na pesca artesanal de Piriápolis (Uruguai), e apartir destas experiências discutir  potencialidades e desafios da inclusão deste enfoque no ensino universitário no Uruguai. A PP em Piriápolis foi iniciada em 2011 visando abordar problemáticas locais vinculadas à pesca artesanal entre distintos atores: pescadores artesanais, pesquisadores universitários, organização governamental encarregada da gestão pesqueira, e ONGs. Esta PP foi iniciada durante uma pesquisa de doutorado, permitiu uma dissertação de graduação, e serviu de plataforma para uma disciplina de graduação em ciências. Destas experiências conclui-se que as PP constituem enfoques transdisciplinares que potenciam, metodológicamente e conceptualmente,  iniciativas universitárias integradas com énfase na inter ou transdisciplinaridade e no  diálogo entre saberes. Ademais, as PP são compatíveis com a realização de estudos e trabalhos de graduação e pós-graduação, e podem ser vinculadas a diversas plataformas educativas.Los enfoques que promueven algún tipo de participación comunitaria están siendo cada vez más utilizados para abordar problemáticas socio-ambientales. Uno de éstos son las investigaciones participativas (IP): estrategias de investigación en las que diversos actores trabajan de forma colaborativa en relación a un tema de interés común. El grupo generado para llevar adelante la investigación participa de forma horizontal en cada una de las etapas, desde elegir la pregunta de investigación hasta la difusión de los resultados. La aplicación de estos enfoques en la formación universitaria representa un desafío desde varios puntos de vista: resignifica el rol del especialista; cuestiona las visiones tradicionales de ciencia y su método; y promueve la reflexión, no solo sobre estas temáticas, sino también sobre el binomio investigación/acción. Tras caracterizar el enfoque específico de las IP, el objetivo de este trabajo es describir tres experiencias de formación universitaria vinculadas a una IP en la pesquería artesanal de Piriápolis (Uruguay), y a partir de ellas discutir algunas potencialidades y desafíos de la inclusión de este enfoque en la enseñanza universitaria en Uruguay. La IP en Piriápolis fue iniciada en 2011 con la meta de abordar problemáticas locales vinculadas a la pesca artesanal entre distintos actores implicados: pescadores artesanales, investigadores universitarios, organización gubernamental a cargo del manejo pesquero y ONGs. Esta IP fue iniciada en el marco de una investigación doctoral, dio lugar a una tesina de grado, y sirvió de plataforma para un curso de grado de ciencias. De estas experiencias se desprende que las IP constituyen enfoques transdisciplinarios que potencian metodológica y conceptualmente las iniciativas de formación universitaria integral con un énfasis en la inter o transdisciplina y el diálogo de saberes. Asimismo, las IP pueden ser compatibles con la realización de tesis de grado y posgrado, y pueden ser vinculadas a diversas plataformas educativas

The Nashville Predators Social Media Audit

This report and presentation will deliver a comprehensive social media audit completed on the Nashville Predators, a national hockey team. In the end, it will show results of our group’s analysis of the communication strategies on the various platforms that the Nashville Predators use for their business and brand. While we already have prior knowledge and experience in social media, we plan to use the theories and principles to come to even better conclusions about the success of the Nashville Predators’ online presence. The Nashville Predators are known for being a professional hockey team in the NHL. The Predator’s brand is strong with its social media presence. The accounts the Nashville Predators maintain are across the following platforms: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, and Linkedin. The Predators use social media to connect and communicate with fans and followers. All of these accounts are focused on the team as a whole. The analysis revealed that the Nashville Predators do a significant job on their social media platforms when reaching and connecting with their target audience. The accounts often utilize photos, videos, stories, and text-based posts. This creates a variety of content that captures and engages with the audience. In addition to photos from games and press appearances, the feeds often include behind-the-scenes content which may incentivize fans to follow. However, there is room to grow when it comes to community management. This audit will include notes about how they interact with comments and user-generated content. This will provide an in-depth about how the Predator’s utilize their social media presence as a whole. In conclusion, this social media audit report offers the back end information about how the Nashville Predators use social media for strategic communication. This report will not only include an in-depth analysis, but recommendations that can be utilized for strategic communication

National Water Plan in Uruguay: the implementation challenges of participatory processes with stakeholders and the general public

Durante 2016 se llevó a cabo en Uruguay un proceso de discusión sobre el primer Plan Nacional de Aguas (PNA). Su versión preliminar se sometió a revisión y discusión en los ámbitos formales de gobernanza del agua, así como a través de un mecanismo deliberativo para público general (adaptación de las conferencias de consenso) llamado Deliberación Ciudadana sobre el Agua (Deci Agua), organizado por un equipo de la Universidad de la República, en coordinación con la Dirección Nacional de Aguas. En este artículo se describe y analiza el proceso de Deci Agua, incluyendo sus aportes al PNA (aprobado por decreto en 2017) y se discuten los avances en la implementación del PNA entre 2017 y 2020, así como sus principales desafíos. A partir del Informe del Panel ciudadano de Deci Agua el PNA incorporó la perspectiva ética en la gestión del agua. La implementación del PNA puede verse dificultada por la escasa coordinación entre instituciones gubernamentales (ambientales y agropecuarias), por cambios estructurales originados con el nuevo gobierno, y por su limitada aceptación desde sectores de la sociedad civil.During 2016, a discussion process took part on the first National Water Plan (PNA, by its initials in Spanish) carried out in Uruguay. It derived on a preliminary version for review and discussion in the formal spaces of water governance, as well as through a deliberative mechanism for the general public (adaptation of the consensus conferences) called Citizen Deliberation on Water or Deci Agua, organized by a team from the Universidad de la República, in coordination with the Dirección Nacional de Aguas. We describe and analyze the Deci Agua process, including its contributions to the PNA (approved by decree in 2017). Also, we discuss the progress in the implementation of the PNA between 2017 and 2020 and its main challenges. From the citizen panel's report of Deci Agua, the PNA incorporated the ethical perspective in water management. The implementation of the PNA may be hampered by poor coordination between government institutions (environmental and agricultural), by structural changes originated with the new government, and by its limited acceptance from sectors of civil society

Divergent perspectives about water security: hydrosocial transformations in the metropolitan region of Montevideo (Uruguay)

The Montevideo Metropolis, where more than half of Uruguay's population resides, is supplied with water from the Santa Lucía River (SLR), which faces increasing problems of water quality and quantity. In 2020, in the context of national government political changes, a hydraulic project (called Neptuno) involving the construction of a purification plant using water from the Río de la Plata estuary (close to the SLR basin), was proposed by a consortium of private companies. The aim of this paper is to analyze the arguments to support and oppose the Neptuno Project, as well as the hydrosocial transformations promoted by it in the SLR basin, including the scalar strategies adopted. Primary and secondary data (interviews, participant observation, and document analysis) were triangulated. Coalitions pro and against the greater involvement of the private sector with water supply services were identified. Our research shows that diverse perspectives of water security, related to different hydrosocial projects, reflect opposed interests and divergent objectives in a context of disputes within asymmetrical power relationships. This has been reactivating the coalition of the historic conflict against the privatization processes that preceded the constitutional reform in Uruguay in 2004. This coalition, against the Neptuno project, carried out a “jump scale,” taking the issue from the local to the national scale

Gobernanza del agua en Sudamérica: estudio comparado del diseño e impacto de dos Comités de Cuenca en Brasil y Uruguay

Resumen del trabajo presentado en el V Congreso Uruguayo de Sociología (diciembre de 2022).Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

Abastecimento de água na região metropolitana de Montevidéu (Uruguai): Além do direito à água nas interfaces rural-urbanas

Em 2013, o rio Santa Lúcia que abastece a região metropolitana de Montevideo, Uruguai, apresentou problemas de qualidade da água devido a proliferação de algas. Como consequência, foi aprovado um 'Plano de Ação' e a criação de um comitê de bacia hidrográfica consultivo multissetorial. Nesta apresentação discutiremos como essas medidas adotadas e/ou fortalecidas entre 2013 e 2021 transformaram os territórios hidrossociais da Bacia do Rio Santa Lucía. Para isso, identificamos e analisamos os atores envolvidos nos projetos, as articulações entre os diferentes grupos de atores e como o direito à água se tornou um discurso para diferentes interesses e objetivos.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e InnovaciónComisión Académica de Posgrad

"¡Hay que garantizar el agua!" Conflicto en la región metropolitana de Montevideo por la seguridad hídrica: el caso del Proyecto Neptuno

Resumen extendido presentado en X Jornadas de Economía Ecológica: http://asauee.org/jornadas/x-jornadas-2021/Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

Gobernanza del agua en transición hacia un modelo participativo: avances y dificultades de la Comisión de Cuenca del Río Santa Lucía en Uruguay

Resumen extendido presentado en la conferencia de CLACSO en 2022.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació