Include chiefs, increase legitimacy? Local perceptions of conservation management

Abstract

This article diverges from the debate on whether incorporating local hereditary institutions, such as chiefs in Africa, enhances or diminishes regime legitimacy in areas of limited statehood. In many countries in the Global South, implementing decentralised governance systems in natural resource management has enhanced the power of chiefs. To advance our understanding of the associations between these hybrid governance systems and legitimacy, this article argues that we should broaden the concept of legitimacy and examine local citizens' perceptions and attitudes. Drawing on extensive fieldwork by the authors, including data collected through structured face-to-face surveys with over 1000 respondents residing in areas with local hereditary institutions in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, we provide a framework for understanding the forms of legitimacy associated with the inclusion of chiefs in the governance of conservation areas. The results indicate that perceived inclusion of chiefs is associated with a governance process that reflects the views and concerns of local communities, is inclusive, transparent, and fair, and also demonstrates the system’s ability to deliver local benefits. These findings make theoretical contributions to the literature on hybrid governance and provide valuable empirical insights for developing natural resource management systems in areas with weak state capacity.