Global Knowledge Symposium (Thailand) – Overview

The Tracking Change… research program has developed over the last year to advance knowledge through community-university research activities in the Mackenzie River Basin with emerging projects in the lower Mekong River Basin (Mun River) and in the lower Amazon Basin (Tapajos River).

A global knowledge symposium is being planned in Thailand for February 20-25th in the city of Ubon Ratchathani. Research team members will be hosted at Ubon Ratchathani University and in the local fishing village of Kho Tai. The aims of the gathering are to:

  • Create opportunities for Indigenous community participants from the Mackenzie River Basin and the lower Mekong River basin to share their own local and traditional knowledge about social- ecological change and develop a better understanding of its significance at global scales;
  • Develop a deeper understanding of the knowledge, practices and beliefs of Lao/Thai fishers through a place-based learning activities in Kho Tai;
  • Identify and advance theories and conceptual frameworks that can help explain trends and patterns in the livelihoods of fishing communities in the Mackenzie-Mekong-Amazon including the changes associated with hydro power;
  • Strengthen research collaboration between graduate students, junior and senior faculty and community knowledge holders (fishers)and partners from Canada, Thailand and Brazil;
  • Build global academic-community-policy networks that can effect change in the governance of the Mackenzie-Mekong-Amazon;
  • Catalyze critical thinking about the methodological best-practice for studying and communicating about fisher knowledges and practices;
  • Advance community reporting and academic publication through a facilitated writing workshop;

The meeting will create opportunities for presentations (oral/poster) by community members, students, academics, policy-makers and partners, placed-based learning about fishing livelihoods in the Ubon Ratchathani Province of Thailand (particularly related to the Pak Mun River Dam), critical discussion with the ultimate aim of mobilizing knowledge being created through Tracking Change.. and strengthening the research network at a global scale.