To browse Academia. In the context of the global environmental and developmental crisis, both environmental relations of modern societies as well as their relations to non-modern, 'traditional' groups are called into question. In this regard, the global environmental and developmental crisis not only threatens the well-being of present and future human populations, but also reflects a crisis of modernity.
The demarcation of protected areas for the protection of 'nature' is an important approach to tackle global environmental problems. Frequently, the remaining 'natural' areas suitable for nature conservation are, at the same time, living spaces of non-modern peoples. The 'classical' modern concept of protected areas - based on ideas of an inherent antagonism between humans and nature - in many cases led to the eviction of these people from protected areas. The poor balance of this 'classical' approach to preserve nature in protected areas, resistance from affected local people, as well as a growing awareness for the rights of these people have induced a revision of this approach.
In the international discourses a new utility-oriented approach has gained rather broad acceptance which is based on a conservation strategy that takes into account the interests and rights of local populations in resources and services of protected areas. In practice, however, the establishment and management of protected areas often is far away from the standards of this revised protected area concept.
Furthermore, this utility-oriented conservation approach has not only provoked a counter-movement within the conservation community, but also has to confront a critical localist approach to nature conservation focusing on local resource control and self-determination. Against this background, the study is concerned with the conflicts and debates involving local communities of the Karen ethnic minority group living in the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Thailand which was established in and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in People of the Karen ethnic minority group have been living in the area for at least years.
Until today, the Karen in Thung Yai predominantly grow hill rice for subsistence needs in a rotational swidden system under a communal resource management regime. Since the establishment of the sanctuary villages have been removed by state authorities at different times. Specifically with the declaration as a World Heritage Site, the remaining Karen villages became a political issue. The Royal Forest Department, the Military and politicians frequently request their resettlement, impose restrictions on their tradi-tional land use system, and are trying to induce them to resettle 'voluntarily' using violence and terror.
