This article examines issues surrounding the potential applicability of nonmarket valuation techniques to indigenous peoples. A conceptual model examines relationships between natural and cultural environments and value systems. Problems of valuation identified include eliciting values for individuals, aggregating individual values into measures of social welfare, and comparisons of welfare across culturally different groups. The influence of sacred or taboo goods, the potential for satiation, and variations in property rights are factors to address in assessing individual values. Differences in political and property rights systems, and unique demographic structures are seen as limits to aggregating values for randomly selected individuals. Since valuation is endogenous to specific social environments, aggregations of indigenous and nonindigenous measures of social welfare may be inappropriate. © 1998 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Economics
Research Group:	Applied economics
Research Field:	Environment and resource economics
Objective Division:	Environmental Policy, Climate Change and Natural Hazards
Objective Group:	Environmental policy, legislation and standards
Objective Field:	Environmental protection frameworks (incl. economic incentives)
UTAS Author:	Hatton MacDonald, D (Professor Darla Hatton MacDonald)
ID Code:	103399
Year Published:	1998
Web of Science® Times Cited:	39
Deposited By:	Faculty of Business
Deposited On:	2015-10-07
Last Modified:	2015-11-05
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