Trust: Types & Ecology w/ Dr. Marc Stern

We continue our exploration of trust theory in this episode with a conversation about the different types of trust and how they might interact with one another to form a trust ecology. Our guest scholar is Dr. Marc Stern, Professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech

Dr. Stern's research focuses on human behavior within the contexts of environmental conflicts, natural resources planning and management, and environmental education and communication. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reports, and has won multiple research and teaching awards. His most recent book, Social Science Theory for Environmental Sustainability: A Practical Guide, published by Oxford University Press, translates social science theory and knowledge for everyday use by people interested in working on environmental problems. He teaches undergraduate courses in Environmental Education and Interpretation and graduate courses in Social Science Research Methods and Sustainability.

Working with several colleagues, he has developed a typology of trust in the context of natural resource management and has suggested a trust ecology framework for how these types interact and buffer one another.

Professor Stern's portfolio of work on trust and collaborative governance is large and varied, but these publications provide a useful introduction to his scholarship addressing the topic:

Stern, M. J., & Coleman, K. J. (2015). The multidimensionality of trust: Applications in collaborative natural resource management. Society & Natural Resources, 28(2), 117-132.

Stern, M. J., & Baird, T. D. (2015). Trust ecology and the resilience of natural resource management institutions. Ecology and Society, 20(2).

The Social Science for Public Good Podcast is a project of the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance and VT Publishing intended to make social science theories accessible and available to individuals and organizations seeking to promote social change.

Music: Purple-planet.com