Adams (2003) argues conservation practices are rooted in what?

• A. They are neutral and universal.
• B. They are rooted in colonial ideologies and persist in policy.
• C. They ignore historical context.
• D. They promote local autonomy exclusively.

Answer: (B)

Conservation practices are shaped by power and history, not by neutrality. Adams argues that modern conservation rests on colonial ways of thinking about land and nature—views that saw landscapes as resources to be managed for elite or imperial interests and that often justified removing local peoples from their lands. This lineage shows up in current policies and institutions that control land, define protected areas, and enforce rules from a centralized perspective, continuing practices established during colonial times. Recognizing this helps explain why conservation today can reproduce inequalities and why it’s important to question whose interests are prioritized in policy.

Seeing it this way explains why one might reject the idea that conservation is neutral or universally applicable, and why it’s not just about ignoring history or about promoting local autonomy alone. The persistence of colonial-era ideas in policy clarifies why conservation measures often reflect those historical power relations rather than a universal, unbiased approach.