Conflict in Conservation: Correlation Between Indigenous Knowledge and State Intervention

This Study explores conflicts that come up due to the disparity between the indigenous knowledge and the Western knowledge that build up state-led policies, focusing on 2 case studies from India and Canada. While indigenous ecological knowledge is sometimes deeply rooted in experiential and spiritual understandings of the local environment, the state-led conservation policies are typically relying on scientific and technocratic data models, leading to fundamental epistemological conflicts. The study discusses the challenges raised by epistemological differences in conservation. The result shows that if top-down policies overlook indigenous ontologies and fail to acknowledge indigenous knowledge systems and sovereignty, they will face fundamental resistance. The study suggests a use of decolonized and collaborative strategies combining multiple knowledge systems in conservation, with the purpose of more fair, efficient, and sustainable results. This study underscores the importance of using multidisciplinary methods to find a balance between protecting the environment and promoting social justice.