The Elite Choice – ‘Unpacking the Elite’ in Mukungule Chiefdom, Zambia

Community-based natural resource management has been advocated for by many scholar and environmentalists to improve natural resources
management, equity, and justice for local people. However, its implementation on the ground does not always reach the intended goal. This is because poor policies have led to unaccountable leaders that empower elite control and capture. Studies perceive elites to be in full control of decision-making which is not the case. This study ‘unpacks the elite’ to gain new insight into how these mechanisms operate. This study uses the concept of capital and the choice and recognition framework to build a foundation for studying how elite power is produced and exercised as a result of both the social context and institutional interventions.