Toward productive complicity: Applying ‘traditional ecological knowledge’ in environmental science

Culture and tradition have long been the domains of social science, particularly social/cultural anthropology various forms heritage studies. However, many environmental scientists whose research addresses management, conservation, restoration are also interested in traditional ecological knowledge, indigenous local knowledge (hereafter TEK), not least because policymakers international institutions promote incorporation TEK work. In this article, we examine usage peer-reviewed articles by published 2020. This snapshot science scholarship includes both critical discussions how to incorporate management efforts do so for scholarly applied purposes. Drawing on anthropological culture, identify two related patterns within literature: a tendency toward essentialism minimize power relationships. We argue that work reflects these trends might productively engage with from scientific fields study culture tradition. suggest productive complicity as reflexive mode partnering, set questions facilitate natural adopting approach: What and/or who is for? Who what will benefit deployment? How compensation/credit shared? Does give back forward all those involved?