To negotiate means to make a joint assessment of convergence, divergence and potential tensions and conflicts across the diversity of knowledge perspectives and contributions. Collaboratively analysing and interpreting the complementary evidence from diverse sources is a way to triangulate information, strengthen legitimacy and relevance of existing knowledge and build a base for further learning. The planned outcome is the development of mutually respectful and useful representations of knowledge on the issue investigasted. 

Pollination dialogue, walking workshop with Karen bee and pollination experts discussing the key messages from the IPBES pollination assessment. Photo: Maurizio Farhan Ferrari, FPP.
Chaiprasert, Karen leader in Hin Lad Nai, sharing perspectives on pollination decline in the discussion on key messages from IPBES pollination assessment in the community forest.
Photo: J. Bumroongchai

Different knowledge systems can produce converging but complementary insights. Contradictions between experiences and information from different knowledge systems can sometimes be resolved with better understanding of the temporal and spatial scale where knowledge was generated. Remaining incommensurability between knowledge systems needs to be acknowledged and respected and not suppressed or dismissed. New and innovative knowledge and understanding can emerge from careful and respectful discussions about tensions between knowledge claims. In some cases, there may be agreements about what is going on, e.g. the status and trends of a resource, but disagreement about the underlying causes or what management actions may be needed to reverse negative trends of the resource. 

Facilitation of the negotiation task requires awareness that all actors, including scientists,  have dual roles as experts and carriers of knowledge as well as stakeholders and rights holders with vested interests. Actors may represent or possess different, sometimes unequal, levels of power and influence. It is critical to keep in mind that in this setting, all knowledge claims are equally valid and no knowledge system is considered superior.

Learn about The polination dialogue experiences of negotiate below.

In the pollination dialogue, we paid careful attention to give ample space for conversations and discussions across knowledge systems – dialogue – rather than pushing for detailed probing of the Pollination key messages where some of the scientists present had been actively involved in compiling the summary.