How rules shape participation in communal resource management decisions: The institutional analysis and development framework as a tool to assess inclusive decision-making

This article reviews and assesses the factors that influence inclusion in communal resource management decisions—who participates and how. Community conservation approaches that recognize the decision-making autonomy of local and Indigenous communities are grounded in theory and evidence that including those who depend on the resource in management decisions often improves conservation outcomes. Decisions made by communities, however, do not necessarily reflect all members’ interests. Previous research suggests that within communities, marginalized groups frequently face persistent barriers. Yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding of how such barriers operate and how to overcome them. To address this gap, we analyze results from a systematic review of 60 empirical studies (2010–2024) on community-based governance of forests, water, fisheries, and climate adaptation. Using the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework as a diagnostic tool, we identify and categorize participation barriers and assess how interventions—such as gender quotas, training, and affinity groups—seek to address them. We find that while many interventions target individual capacities and socio-cultural beliefs, few target the formal rule structures that shape decision-making processes. Our IAD analysis indicates how rule governing membership, agenda-setting, information access, and aggregation provide critical but underutilized leverage points for fostering inclusion in communal resource management decisions.

Duke Scholars

Author Xavier Basurto Marine Science and Conservation