Evolution of Social Institutions in the Journey Towards Sustainability: The Case of the Galápagos Islands
Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Latin American Research Centre
Abstract
Two hundred years after the birth of Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution
was influenced by the Galápagos Islands, we investigate the myriad of institutions that influence
the domain’s governance. We provide insight into the complex web of economic, environmental,
and social factors that result in a lack of clear direction and thus lead UNESCO
to list the Islands as “at risk” in the past. Using institutional theory, with specific interest in
competing logics or differences in senses of place among the major organizational populations
in the Islands, we investigate the context in which the Islands exist. Several forces, both
positive and negative, are driving change, and despite attempts to achieve equilibrium in the
Islands, governance is in constant flux due to high turnover among key personnel in the organization
populations. Instability and lack of continuity exist not only in the domain but also
within the organizational populations themselves.
Description
Uploaded with permission from the University of Calgary Latin American Research Centre, granted July 4, 2012.
Keywords
Citation
Herremans, I., & Ambrosie, L. M. (2011). “Evolution of Social Institutions in the Journey Towards Sustainability: The Case of the Galápagos Islands”, in Turning Point Series. Latin American Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.