“Entrepreneurs in the Wild”: the Hidden Face of Biodiversity Governance

On October 20, in Aula 6 at the main campus of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, the seminar entitled “Entrepreneurs in the Wild: The Hidden Face of Biodiversity Governance” will take place.

The event will be chaired by Luca Raineri (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna) and will feature Mariachiara Boldrini (University of Florence) as discussant.
The main speaker will be Dutch investigative journalist Olivier Van Beemen.

ABSTRACT

As environmental protection increasingly intersects with global finance and philanthropy, biodiversity conservation in Africa has become both promising and controversial. Focusing on African Parks, the continent’s largest conservation NGO, this seminar will examine tensions between sovereignty, human rights, and conservation. Through his book Entrepreneurs in the Wild / Cattivi Custodi, award-winning journalist Olivier Van Beemen explores how narratives of protection and efficiency intertwine with displacement, militarization, and local participation.