Home Institution
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Publication Date
Fall 2021
Abstract
An Earth-centered way of living is essential in Western Uganda, along with many more repressed regions affected by giant corporate evils. The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of Earth Jurisprudence in the restoration of conservation in the Indigenous Bagungu community. More specifically, this study examines the customary laws and rituals used by the Bagungu, the strategies used to decolonize their culture, and their perspectives on foreign influence and globalization. Key-informant interviews were conducted with seven custodians and questionnaire-led interviews were administered to thirty-one clan members from the districts of Buliisa and Hoima. The study sample size was obtained through convenient sampling and analyzed through quantitative content analysis and descriptive statistics. While the official definition of Earth Jurisprudence was not commonly known among the community members, an eco-centric mindset still heavily influenced the livelihoods of each clan. The major findings highlight the importance of implementing Earth Jurisprudence in government by identifying a growing global influence that has created a decline in community participation in sacred nature worship. Additional findings brought to light that the perspectives of the Indigenous Bagungu community on oil activities were overall negative. The results of this study highlight the necessity for awareness of Earth Jurisprudence on a global and governmental scale. This study shows that incorporating the Rights of Nature in governance would greatly benefit Indigenous communities both politically and environmentally, thus aiding in the conservation of nature. It is recommended that the Rights of Nature be implemented into governance at local, national, and global levels. The researcher recommends educating communities on Earth Jurisprudence and providing governmental and societal support for the African faith.
Disciplines
African Languages and Societies | African Studies | Biodiversity | Environmental Health and Protection | Environmental Studies | Human Ecology | Indigenous Studies | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Place and Environment | Social and Cultural Anthropology
Recommended Citation
Primicias, Joslyn, "Soil Not Oil: An Assessment of the Role of Earth Jurisprudence in Restoring Biodiversity Conservation in the Indigenous Bagungu Community, in Uganda" (2021). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3410.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3410
Included in
African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Human Ecology Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
Program Name
Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology