Forging Pluralistic Praxis: Braiding Indigenous and Local Knowledge with Conservation Practice
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Conservation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: systems ecology; traditional ecological knowledge; aquatic conservation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Achieving global biodiversity targets requires us to move beyond exclusionary management models. As environmental challenges accelerate, effective stewardship demands the equitable validation and integration of diverse knowledge systems. A defining challenge for conventional conservation practice is to transition from Western scientific approaches toward a pluralistic praxis that braids diverse knowledge systems in order to build equitable partnerships with local communities.
This Special Issue will focus on the active and reciprocal braiding of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) with conventional conservation practice. We view ILK as accumulated place-based wisdom essential for resilience rather than mere supplementary data. By bridging the cultural insights of ethnoecology with the participatory frameworks of citizen science, this Special Issue aims to cross disciplinary boundaries and integrate experiential perspectives from diverse communities.
We invite contributions that operationalize pluralistic praxis through the active braiding of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) with conventional conservation practice. We welcome global submissions across all ecosystems, particularly those that center the stewardship of Indigenous and Local Knowledge holders on the frontlines of environmental change. Ultimately, we seek work that demonstrates how braiding this knowledge with conventional conservation practice drives more effective, equitable, and resilient outcomes.
Dr. Ronald Maliao
Dr. Béla Tóthmérész
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- indigenous and local knowledge
- ethnoecology
- citizen science
- pluralistic praxis
- epistemic justice
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