Project

Nature conservation, tourism and development in southern Africa

Stasja’s research and writing revolve around the convergences and dynamics of nature conservation, (sustainable) tourism, development and indigenous people. Inequality and power are at the core of his work. Empirically, he has explored and studied these mostly in southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa), where he has lived and worked in the past (Namibia), and a bit in Indonesia. He conducted his PhD research in this same area, based on discourse analysis and ethnographic fieldwork among the indigenous San (‘Bushmen’) people. The following empirical and theoretical research trajectories can be identified in Stasja’s work:

Indigenous peoples, apartheid and nature-based tourism

As a heavily marginalised group, the indigenous San often end up in tourism settings (not always by their own choice), and so become part of the larger global tourism industry and networks. Since tourism in southern Africa is mostly nature-based, and because most of the San people live in rural areas, their involvement in tourism cannot be seen apart from their involvement in nature conservation; many have ended up in ecotourism development projects, often as an important element of larger Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programs. A crucial element in his research was to analyse power relations and to investigate the San’s perceptions on these dynamics. Furthermore, this trajectory focuses on the on-going societal consequences of the former (i.e. official) Apartheid regime among indigenous peoples in (Northeast) Namibia, with a focus on contemporary environmental problems. In this research, Apartheid is not only regarded a legal framework from the past in South Africa and Namibia, but as a continually changing socio-cultural and economic structure. Looking at Apartheid in this way, it can help us to better understand contemporary racial and ethnic divides in relation to environmental problems and solutions. For instance, current racial divides in conservation and the tourism industry (including trophy hunting) have for the largest part perpetuated since the abolishment of Apartheid in Namibia and South Africa, which raises serious concerns about recent and current strategies to focus on community involvement in these sectors.

    The South African Wildlife Economy

    In this research, Stasja explores how the tourism industry adjacent to the Kruger National Park, in the South African Lowveld, is affected by the contemporary rhino poaching crisis and how they respond to it. Furthermore, he investigates how people who live at so-called ‘wildlife estates’ in the Lowveld articulate their ‘belonging’ to the area in this new nature conservation/tourism model. Wildlife estates are gated communities that are also (over)stocked with wildlife, on which many houses often function as ‘second homes’ and are rented out part of the year.

    Philanthrocapitalism, enjoyment and new types of tourism

    Two new, and growing, types of tourism that Stasja explores is what he has dubbed ‘philanthrotourism’ and ‘environmentourism’. Both are based on theories about philanthrocapitalism, in which the ‘very rich’ engage in a large variety of developmental and conservation projects, under the assumption that those mechanisms that made them rich, are also the best mechanisms to sustainably address inequality, marginalisation and environmental degradation. The value and ideologies behind this, however, spread ideas and practices that are associated with nature conservation and in development, highly affecting these sectors. In his recent work he applied a psychoanalytical approach of ‘enjoyment’ to philanthrocapitalism. Enjoyment is as a central element of (social and environmental) philanthropy, development and tourism. In the psychoanalytical view, however, the eradication of poverty and support for environmental causes are not only based on ‘pure’ or conventional enjoyment, but also on an additional ‘dark side’: there is a continuous interaction between the pain (e.g. caused by poverty, inequality, extinct species or climate change) and pleasure of ‘doing good’ (through giving or specific philanthropic activities), which creates an excitement referred to as jouissance. Social and environmental problems become ‘enjoyable’ and attractive not only as conventional enjoyment, but especially because of their ‘dark’ element.

    Critical analyses of research

    This trajectory reflects on the meanings of and practices in research. It addresses questions and issues that are of broader relevance to the scientific community. Having been involved in a variety of debates regarding ethical and political issues in research, Stasja learned how important it is to reflect on what ‘we’ do, how we do this, and why it matters (or not).


    Koot, S., Grant, J., //Khumûb, M., Fernando, K., Mushavanga, T., Dommerholt, T., Gressier, C., Pienaar, D., /Ui Kunta, S., Puckett, F., Paksi, A., Moeti, S., ≠Oma Tsamkxao, L., Steenkamp, L., Hitchcock, R., Maruyama, J., Gordon R. and Mushavanga, D. (2023). Research codes and contracts do not guarantee equitable research with Indigenous communities. Nature: Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02101-0

    Koot, S., Hebinck, P. and Sullivan, S. (2023). Conservation science and discursive violence: A response to two rejoinders. Society & Natural Resources 36 (5): 585-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2022.2064023

    Koot, S. (2023). Articulations of inferiority: From pre-colonial to post-colonial paternalism in tourism and development among the indigenous Bushmen of southern Africa. History and Anthropology 34 (2): 303-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/02757206.2020.1830387

    Koot, S., Büscher, B. and Thakholi, L. (2022). The new green apartheid? Race, capital and logics of enclosure in South Africa’s wildlife economy. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space. https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486221110438

    Koot, S. (2021). Enjoying extinction: Philanthrocapitalism, jouissance, and ‘excessive environmentourism’ in the South African rhino poaching crisis. Journal of Political Ecology28 (1): 804-822. https://doi.org/10.2458/jpe.2984

    Koot, S. and Fletcher, R. (2021). Donors on tour: Philanthrotourism in Africa. Annals of Tourism Research 89.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738321000906

    Koot, S. Hitchcock, R. and Gressier, C. (2019). Belonging, Indigeneity, Land and Nature in Southern Africa under Neoliberal Capitalism: An Overview. Journal of Southern African Studies 42 (2): 341-355: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03057070.2019.1610243

    Koot, S. (2016). Perpetuating power through autoethnography: My unawareness of research and memories of paternalism among the indigenous Hai//om in Namibia. Critical Arts 30 (6), 840-854: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02560046.2016.1263217

    Koot, S. (2016). Contradictions of capitalism in the South African Kalahari: Indigenous Bushmen, their brand and baasskap in tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 24 (8&9), 1211-1226: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669582.2016.1158825