Sponsor
Portland State University. School of Urban and Public Affairs
First Advisor
Phillip J. Cooper
Term of Graduation
Spring 2026
Date of Publication
5-14-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Affairs and Policy
Department
Urban Studies and Planning
Language
English
Subjects
Crisis Conditions, Indigenous Knowledge, Innovation, Local Knowledge, Sustainable Development
Physical Description
1 online resource (x, 486 pages)
Abstract
In 1987, the Brundtland Commission's Our Common Future (1987) made clear the need to reject longstanding development processes and focus on sustainable development. The Commission stressed that actual sustainable development integrates three elements: social development, economic development, and environmental protection. Though developed nations have achieved economic growth through conventional and extractive development practices, these practices have intensified natural disasters driven by climate change, increased food insecurity, and deepened poverty. This has acutely impacted Indigenous and local communities, many of whom face crisis conditions, such as war, terrorism, civil disorder, and their aftermath. Even so, many of these communities successfully implement sustainable development projects and initiatives.
This research focuses on how local and Indigenous organizations in crisis conditions leverage local and Indigenous Knowledge to successfully innovate and implement sustainable development initiatives that holistically incorporate social development goals. The study focuses on three case studies: (i) promoting Indigenous social development and economic viability through sustainable community enterprises and agroecology and agroforestry practices in San Martín Jilotepeque, Guatemala; (ii) economic and cultural fortification using Indigenous knowledge in sustainable development innovation in Oaxaca, Mexico; and (iii) economic and social transformation through agroecological practices and mangrove conservation in Bajo Lempa, El Salvador.
The study proposes three main ideas. First, local and Indigenous organizations can successfully design, implement, and maintain sustainable development projects by ensuring that local and Indigenous Knowledge is the primary perspective that informs the technical, legal, fiscal, administrative, political, ethical, and cultural elements of their projects and strategies. Second, local and Indigenous knowledge is key to shaping and adapting external perspectives through experimentation, allowing for locally relevant and successful implementation of sustainable development innovations.
Finally, this research argues that the primacy of local and Indigenous Knowledge is more than a theoretical abstraction but an essential strategy that can contribute to stronger ties between theory development and practice in public administration implementation of sustainable development initiatives.
Rights
© 2026 Carlos Andrés Arias
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44828
Recommended Citation
Arias, Carlos Andrés, "Local and Indigenous Knowledge, Innovation, and Sustainable Development: Creating Sustainable Futures Amidst Crisis Conditions at the Community Level" (2026). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 7090.