Event Summary
Distinguished Guest Lecture by Prof. Amitabh Pande: Environmental Anthropology and Role in Public Policy
Organized by Anthropos India Foundation, New Delhi
Date: October 17, 2024, 6:30 PM
The lecture by Prof. Amitabh Pande, Director of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, provided an in-depth exploration of environmental anthropology and its significant implications for public policy. Prof. Pande emphasized the vital role that anthropological perspectives can play in shaping environmental policies, highlighting how the cultural, social, and ecological practices of indigenous and local communities offer valuable insights into sustainable development.
Throughout the presentation, Prof. Pande delved into the complex relationships between human societies and their environments. He illustrated how traditional ecological knowledge, often overlooked in policy-making processes, can contribute to more effective and inclusive environmental governance. By integrating anthropology into public policy, Prof. Pande argued, we can better address pressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and resource management.
A key theme of the lecture was the role of the public in environmental decision-making. Prof. Pande encouraged active public participation, stressing that policies should not only be informed by scientific data but also by the lived experiences and knowledge of communities that are directly affected by environmental changes. This bottom-up approach ensures that policies are more adaptable, culturally relevant, and sustainable in the long term.
The audience engaged deeply with the subject, asking thought-provoking questions about the practical applications of environmental anthropology in policy formulation. Prof. Pande’s lecture was a call to action for both policymakers and citizens to embrace a more holistic and participatory approach to environmental challenges.
The event, organized by Anthropos India Foundation, provided a platform for a meaningful dialogue on the intersection of culture, environment, and governance, and highlighted the growing importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing global environmental consequences.
