Dichotomy or Convergence? Assessing Adaptation Approaches, Understanding Trends in Adaptation and Development

Autor: Richter, Luise-Katharina
Přispěvatelé: Olwig, Mette Fog
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2016
Předmět:
Popis: This thesis assesses how development and adaptation practitioners perceive the relationship between the adaptation approaches community- and ecosystem-based adaptation (CbA and EbA) vis-à-vis scholarly depictions of this issue, and how this relationship is linked to greater theoretical and practical dichotomous debates from the field of adaptation and development. In order to find answers to this question, I conducted ethnographic fieldwork during a conference on adaptation in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and interviewed experts and practitioners working with adaptation and development both as part of and after the time in Dhaka. The thesis utilizes theoretical perspectives from the nature-culture paradigm to generate in-depth explanations for what was found during the data gathering process. The analytical discussion generated the following conclusions: 1. Overall, practitioners perceived of EbA and CbA as belonging together, and regularly even as being deeply intertwined. They often explained this connection by referring to the inseparable relationship that nature and society exist in, on the background that many saw EbA as originating in environmental perspectives, and CbA as stemming from the field of social sciences. As the literature discusses EbA and CbA much more in separate terms, understandings of nature and society as one appear to exist more on a practical than a theoretical level. 2. When taking a closer look at how participants and interviewees described the relationship between EbA and CbA, however, more ambiguous notions on this topic could be found. These proved that symbiotic understandings of nature-society are not yet entirely established among practitioners, but rather are evolving in a transitional process. This aspect could be confirmed by looking deeper into the related dichotomous debate on the link between adaptation and development. 3. This thesis argues that a more active promotion of nature-society synergies is needed, which will move the transitional process towards nature-society forward. Furthermore, it will help to overcome the gap between EbA and CbA theory and practice, and between academia and practice in adaptation-development relationships as found through this research. Only by establishing an understanding of nature-society as intertwined, this thesis claims, more sustainable and effective work in the field of adaptation-development is feasible.
Databáze: OpenAIRE