A closer look therefore raises the questions of how, and by whom, the meaning of a place is defined, what consequences this has for its use, how the place should be managed, and with what intention. The social meanings that a place acquires are also reflected in ownership of, access or use rights to, and the distribution of resources.
Disputes can offer new opportunities
Disputes over place claims, as in Malheur, can erupt into open conflict. While often destructive, conflict can also be creative, providing the opportunity to unearth old claims – in this case, by the Paiute and traditional cattle ranchers – and revise assumptions that seemed secure. In the best case, such disputes can lead to the negotiation of innovative solutions for sustainable transformation.
In the search for the most viable and equitable systems possible for the present and the future, it is therefore necessary to take a close look at what a place might mean, and who claims what rights to it.
A critical look at the role of science
This is a task not only for the state and society – but also for science. However, scientific evidence will have little impact if it fails to grapple with social meanings and the landscapes of power within which these meanings are formed. Science must critically examine the meanings it ascribes to places and the role these meanings play in the conflicts that produce, legitimate, or erase the claims of others.