The Socio-Political Conceptualization of Serengeti Landscapes in Europe: The Case of ‘Western Iberia’

Summary

This paper reflects on the socio-political conceptualization of ‘Western Iberia’, one of Rewilding Europe’s first pilot areas. Drawing from Actor Network Theory and social theories discussing Politics of Scale, we illustrate how ‘Western Iberia’ is continuously being negotiated through practices in different sites within / outside its geographical boundaries. We identify five different versions of ‘Western Iberia’ for illustrative purposes to claim that there is not one ‘Western Iberia’ but many. We conclude that these multiple versions are contingent and produced in networks of actors, but also limited to unique social and material conditions. Through better understanding socio-political practice in constituting, approaching, arranging and representing ‘Western Iberia’, we aim to complement on-going ecological studies that traditionally reflect upon natural processes of rewilding. “