epistemic communities & knowledge management

Dear all,

I am a post graduate currently researching epistemic communities and
environmental regime formulation, and I wondered if there might be a
World-Systems perspective on this?

I'm particularly interested in the types of actors that constitute the
members of epistemic communities and also, who it is that might be left out
of the decision-making and regime formulating procedures. For example, does
a perceived desire towards scientific knowledge (i.e. ''expert'' scientists
from the industrialised countries) alienate or subjugate heuristic knowledge
(as in local fishermen's life experiences)? 

I am also beginning preparation for PhD studies upon which I embark in
September. I'm researching Knowledge Management and how it might be used in
the fields of development and environmental protection, with specific
reference to 'developing areas'  or 'the South'. Again, I wondered if there
might be a world-systems perspective here - knowledge management as a tool
for imposing western ideas and Capitalist protocols on developing nations
versus KM as an opportunity for liberating local knowledge and including
Southern interests and participation instead of excluding/subjugating them.

Many thanks, Paul.

Paul Broome
Department of Geography
Royal Holloway College
University of London
Egham
Surrey, TW20 OEX
UK.
+44 (0)1784 414087
p.broome@rhbnc.ac.uk