From Wildlife to Natural Resources, and Back Again? Translating Natures in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Contested perceptions of the Dukuduku forest, bordering South Africa's iSimangaliso Wetland Park, reveal that nature is both socially constructed and inherently real. This duality challenges wilderness restoration efforts by exposing how human and non-human networks shape environmental narratives. The study uses translation analytics to dissect 1980s debates on representationalism, showing that these historical discussions clarify modern struggles over landscape identity. By framing environments as translating subjects rather than passive objects, the research highlights the complexity of redefining nature in dynamic socio-ecological contexts.

Nustad, K. G. (2019). From Wildlife to Natural Resources, and Back Again? Translating Natures in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Ethnos, 85(1), 17–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/00141844.2018.1535514