Where the power lies: multiple stakeholder politics over natural ...

activity gives rise to all sorts of conflicting dynamics; i.e. when there is much
misinformation about purpose of visit as well as misconstruction of facts and conjecture.
One can follow up on some of the issues that are raised in the meetings later and also
raise questions concerning the behaviour of different individuals to understand the
undercurrents and dynamics taking place. However, one must be careful at this stage in
case questioning is interpreted as troublemaking.
Observations must not be restricted to formal situations or interactions (public arenas)
but can be made even for less public and often private interactions occurring in informal
arenas. Interaction among stakeholders occurs in wide ranging spaces where negotiations
and bargaining are made over issues. Sometimes decisions are agreed upon and strategies
charted even before the public meetings with the big group. Also in some of these arenas
alliances are made, negotiated or broken as individuals exercise their power to veto
actions and decisions made by their representatives who sit in these multiple stakeholder
groups.
Role-plays
Role-plays can be used to portray relationships between stakeholders as these can expose
relations of power and highlight the nature of the processes of bargaining and negotiations
within and between stakeholder groups (Boal 1985). Presentations of role-plays to a
larger group play on emotions and may elicit a wide range of responses. It is essential to
follow up a performance with further discussion, focusing on questions like:
30
Who are the stakeholders being portrayed in the theatre or role-play?
What is the relationship among the stakeholders being portrayed?
What processes of negotiations are at play in the role-play?
What are the different dimensions to the conflict and how are they used as
stakeholders jostle for the upper hand (i.e. gender; kinship relations; commercial
versus subsistence interests)?
What happens to the stakeholders themselves during the negotiations (realignments
as groups reconstitute and disintegration as the conflict progresses)?
For how long do these negotiations take place and what drives the different events
that are recorded in the role-play?
However, good role-plays are not easy to facilitate. One possibility is to have several
role-plays depicting various cases of past and current relationships. Role-plays of current
relationships are particularly useful as issues that are portrayed are topical and of direct
interest to the observers. Depending on the sensitivity of the issue being portrayed, it
may be necessary to pursue some of the suggested questions through key interviews or
focused group discussions. One must be aware of the sensitivity of issues being portrayed
and understand the limitations these sensitivities place on the individuals participating
in the role-play. When facilitating role-plays one must be careful of the cultural norms of
the locality and let stakeholders define role-plays that are culturally appropriate. Some
questions can be used to explore issues highlighted in the role play are listed here.
Can the portrayals be improved and in what way?
Was that a realistic portrayal of the situation?
Were the observed dynamics typical or atypical?
Interactive role-plays allow for diverse participation from all those in the play and those
watching it. Quite often, observers of a role play will start to interject and correct
portrayals right in the middle of the presentation. One can facilitate such incidences to