Understanding and Shifting Power in Biodiversity Conservation by Integrating Insights from Social Change Movements (POWERSHIFT)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Ranjini Rebecca Murali, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Ecology and Biodiversity of Plants and Ecosystems
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 570012973

POWERSHIFT addresses the complex social-ecological challenges of biodiversity conservation and restoration by examining power dynamics—a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in achieving transformative change. Power shapes whose voices are heard, whose interests prevail, and how conservation actions are framed and implemented. Despite the urgency of halting biodiversity loss, current approaches often neglect the systemic role of power in enabling or constraining effective change. To address this, POWERSHIFT introduces a novel "Strategy Ecosystem" approach, situating conservation within a broader strategic context and emphasizing the interconnected roles of diverse actors across local to global scales. This framework highlights how collaborative networks and initiatives can evolve more equitable and impactful strategies. The project’s central scientific aim is to understand how power operates within and across conservation initiatives, how it influences social-ecological outcomes, and how it can be rebalanced to foster more inclusive, just, and transformative conservation. Our interdisciplinary team draws from sociology, ecology, and political science to ensure both academic rigor and actionable, policy-relevant outcomes aligned with equity and justice. The project is structured into four interconnected work packages: WP1 explores power at local, initiative, and network levels through context and actor analyses, qualitative and quantitative interviews, and cross-case comparisons. It reveals how different types of power interact in various conservation settings. WP2 translates insights into practice by engaging conservation actors in transdisciplinary workshops to co-develop strategic scenarios, build awareness of power imbalances, and align methods across sectors and scales. WP3 strengthens learning and adaptive management by implementing Action Learning Sets, supporting capacity-building in local interventions, and incorporating reflective practices—including researcher self-reflection—to foster dynamic, responsive strategies. WP4 synthesizes findings from WPs 1–3, targeting policymakers and fostering collaboration across movements and borders. It tests the applicability of power-mitigation strategies across diverse socio-ecological contexts, ensuring real-world relevance. By focusing on power dynamics—both within initiatives and across broader networks—POWERSHIFT generates knowledge on how to shift entrenched imbalances, enabling more inclusive and effective conservation. Its reflection-based, multi-level methodology and commitment to transnational and transdisciplinary exchange support the adoption of socially equitable, ecologically sustainable practices. Ultimately, the project directly responds to the call for systemic transformation in conservation by making power visible and actionable.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria, France, Sweden
• Partner Organisation: Agence Nationale de la Recherche / The French National Research Agency; Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF); The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS)
• Cooperation Partners: Professorin Dr. Jacqueline Loos; Professorin Dr. Laura M. Pereira; Juliette Young, Ph.D.