Chris Sandbrook is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge. His research takes a political ecology approach to investigate the relationship between biodiversity conservation and society, particularly in developing countries. He has an interdisciplinary background in zoology, anthropology and geography. He is the Director of the Cambridge Masters in Conservation Leadership, and also teaches on the Geography undergraduate programme.
Bill Adams retired as Moran Professor of Conservation and Development in the Department of Geography in the University of Cambridge at the end of September 2020. He is currently visiting Segré Professor of Conservation and Development at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Bill’s first degree is in geography, and during his PhD he moved from being a sort-of ecologist to being almost a social scientist. He works on the evolution of ideas in conservation and sustainable development, and what happens when they are applied.
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Thinking like a human 
One danger not highlighted is that if those who seek funds know in advance that only projects that CAN be subjected to quantitative analysis WILL be funded – then by projects becoming self-limiting we risk a steady decline in qualitative analysis.
I am interested, Chris, in what is now ‘political ecology’ and its methods – can you direct me to a suitable paper on methodology? Way back in 1976 I imported the term from Germany where it related to ‘engaged’ ecologists, much as sociologists were doing at the time. Methinks this is the history of rewilding in the UK – not a methodology thought-up and directed as a new conservation strategy, but evolving at a grass-roots level via active conservationists and ecologists, eschewing definitions and goals and seeking funding from independent trusts or crowdfunders.
oops – that was meant as a comment on the thread – not here!