Midterm Questions Assignment:
1) In 2-3 short paragraphs, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using Wyatt’s hierarchy of victimization chart to understand the prioritization of victims within the illegal wildlife trade.
To receive full credit for your response, your answer must:
#1: draw on 1-2 concrete examples from class discussions;
#2 include your personal opinion (with justifications) for why or why not plants should be understood as victims in illegal wildlife trade;
#3 in responding to the above, include an explanation of how your opinion is informed by an anthropocentric, biocentric, or ecocentric approach to understanding victimization in wildlife trafficking.
2) In 2-3 short paragraphs, explain why western conservation organizations fail to understand Rosewood demand in China, according to Dr. Annah Lake Zhu. How could attention to Chinese culture and history inform more responsible, sustainable, as well as effective forms of conservation to ensure rosewood species do not go extinct in the near future? For full credit, give concrete examples from your reading of Dr. Zhu’s book, Rosewood, as well as discussions from class.
3) In 1-2 paragraphs, make an argument about who and/or what Dr. Rosaleen Duffy holds most responsible for the ongoing militarization and securitization of conservation in relationship to wildlife trafficking. Do you agree or disagree with her arguments? Use concrete examples from the book and class discussions to support your response. If scholars recognize the militarization of conservation and responses to wildlife trafficking as doing more harm than good, why does militarization and securitization of conservation persist? Again, reference examples from class and our readings in crafting your response.
4) In 1-2 paragraph, and in your opinion, what major ideas/topics related to wildlife trafficking do you believe Professors Duffy and Wyatt would most agree on AND ALSO most disagree on based on your readings? Who do you think you agree most with and why? For full credit, you must give examples of both sites of agreement and disagreement. Use examples and concepts from your readings and class to support your argument.
Sources:
Wildlife Trafficking by Tanya Wyatt
Security and Conservation by Rosaleen Duffy
Animal Traffic by Rosemary-Claire Collard
Rosewood: endangered species conservation and the rise of global China – by Annah Lake Zhu
