Performing Expertise: Landscape, Governmentality and Conservation Planning in Iceland

Abstract

In this paper a qualitative case study is presented, addressing the Icelandic Nature Conservation Strategy 2004–2008. The objective is to investigate the subjectification of landscape to methodologies designed for biodiversity conservation. For that purpose, we analyse the role of expertise in the formulation of the strategy and interpret with the help of the two central analytical concepts: performance and governmentality. Landscape has received increased attention in Iceland, the reason being partly increased public awareness of the importance of Icelandic landscapes as natural heritage and the threats allegedly posed to them by certain land uses such as hydro and geothermal power production. This interest is reflected in the Nature Conservation Strategy, where an attempt was made to take landscape values systematically into consideration in conservation planning. The guiding concept in the strategy as a whole, however, was that of biodiversity. The analysis revealed several complications regarding the inclusion of landscape in such a context, owing to various reasons, practical as well as theoretical. Part of the problem seems to be the ontological and epistemological differences between the conceptualization of landscape and the methodology developed for the strategy.