Understanding conflict among experts working on controversial species: A case study on the Australian dingo

Valerio Donfrancesco; Benjamin L. Allen; Rob Appleby; Linda Behrendorff; Gabriel Conroy; Mathew S. Crowther; Christopher R. Dickman; Tim Doherty; Bronwyn A. Fancourt; Christopher E. Gordon; Stephen M. Jackson; Chris N. Johnson; Malcolm S. Kennedy; Loukas Koungoulos; Mike Letnic; Luke K.‐P. Leung; Kieren J. Mitchell; Bradley Nesbitt; Thomas Newsome; Carlo Pacioni; Justine Phillip; Brad V. Purcell; Euan G. Ritchie; Bradley P. Smith; Danielle Stephens; Jack Tatler; Lily M. Eeden; Kylie M. Cairns

doi:10.1111/csp2.12900

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Understanding conflict among experts working on controversial species: A case study on the Australian dingo

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Understanding conflict among experts working on controversial species: A case study on the Australian dingo

Valerio Donfrancesco, Benjamin L. Allen, Rob Appleby, Linda Behrendorff, Gabriel Conroy, Mathew S. Crowther, Christopher R. Dickman, Tim Doherty, Bronwyn A. Fancourt, Christopher E. Gordon, …

Conservation science and practice, Vol.5(3), e12900

2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12900

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Abstract

carnivore

conservation social sciences

dissensus

evidence

human‐wildlife conflict

values

wild dog

Expert elicitation can be valuable for informing decision‐makers on conservation and wildlife management issues. To date, studies eliciting expert opinions have primarily focused on identifying and building consensus on key issues. Nonetheless, there are drawbacks of a strict focus on consensus, and it is important to understand and emphasize dissent, too. This study adopts a dissensus‐based Delphi to understand conflict among dingo experts. Twenty‐eight experts participated in three rounds of investigation. We highlight disagreement on most of the issues explored. In particular, we find that disagreement is underpinned by what we call “conflict over values” and “conflict over evidence.” We also note the broader role played by distrust in influencing such conflicts. Understanding and recognizing the different elements shaping disagreement is critical for informing and improving decision‐making and can also enable critique of dominant paradigms in current practices. We encourage greater reflexivity and open deliberation on these aspects and hope our study will inform similar investigations in other contexts. This study entails a social investigation into why experts may disagree about conservation and wildlife management issues, stressing the importance of understanding and emphasizing dissent in current practices. In particular, we outline “conflict over values” and “conflict over evidence” as two aspects shaping experts' disagreement, and discuss the role of distrust in influencing such conflicts.

Details

Title: Understanding conflict among experts working on controversial species: A case study on the Australian dingo
Authors/Creators: Valerio Donfrancesco - University of Cambridge
Benjamin L. Allen - University of Southern Queensland
Rob Appleby - Griffith University
Linda Behrendorff - Agriculture and Food
Gabriel Conroy - University of the Sunshine Coast
Mathew S. Crowther - The University of Sydney
Christopher R. Dickman - The University of Sydney
Tim Doherty - The University of Sydney
Bronwyn A. Fancourt - University of New England
Christopher E. Gordon - Aarhus University
Stephen M. Jackson - Australian Museum
Chris N. Johnson - Australian Research Council
Malcolm S. Kennedy - Queensland Department of Environment and Science
Loukas Koungoulos - The University of Sydney
Mike Letnic - UNSW Sydney
Luke K.‐P. Leung - Agriculture and Food
Kieren J. Mitchell - Australian Research Council
Bradley Nesbitt - University of New England
Thomas Newsome - The University of Sydney
Carlo Pacioni - Murdoch University
Justine Phillip - Independent researcher Le Moulin Neuf Pont Melvez France
Brad V. Purcell - Kangaroo Management Program Office of Environment and Heritage Dubbo New South Wales Australia
Euan G. Ritchie - Deakin University
Bradley P. Smith - Central Queensland University
Danielle Stephens - Zoological Genetics Inglewood South Australia Australia
Jack Tatler - Narla Environmental Pty Ltd Warriewood New South Wales Australia
Lily M. Eeden - Arthur Rylah Institute
Kylie M. Cairns - UNSW Sydney
Publication Details: Conservation science and practice, Vol.5(3), e12900
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Number of pages: 14
Grant note: Australian Dingo Foundation ARC Discovery (Australian Research Council) (180100747; DE200100157) Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship Economic and Social Research Council (ES/P000738/1)
Identifiers: 991005579925507891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology; 3.35.274 Wildlife Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Biodiversity Conservation
ESI research areas: Agricultural Sciences