Eine Plattform für die Wissenschaft: Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Urbanistik
Eine Plattform für die Wissenschaft: Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Urbanistik
Social production of vulnerability to climate change in the rural middle hills of Nepal
Abstract This paper explores the social roots of rural communities' vulnerability to climate change, based on a field study conducted from 2012 to 2015 in the Panchkhal region of the Kavre district in the middle hills of Nepal. Drawing upon Bourdieu's concept ‘field of practice’, we identify three themes that are helpful to generate insights into the way vulnerability is socially produced in the hamlets of this region: social isolation, financial authority, and knowledge based supremacy exercised by the community elites and public officials. These factors operate to sustain social hierarchies and consequently constrain the long-term adaptability of marginalised groups. Three emergent adaptive strategies are also identified: human mobility, collective action, and occupational change. We conclude that vulnerability to the effects of climate change continues to be a largely socially produced phenomenon, shaped by complex interactions between social, cultural, economic and political processes happening in different places at different time scales.
Highlights Vulnerability in rural Nepal is produced by the complex interaction of socio-cultural, economic and political processes. Vulnerability is embedded in multiple forms of differentiations along the socio-cultural disparity. Adaptation strategies that fail to recognize socio-cultural aspects do not generate socially inclusive adaptation outcomes.
Social production of vulnerability to climate change in the rural middle hills of Nepal
Abstract This paper explores the social roots of rural communities' vulnerability to climate change, based on a field study conducted from 2012 to 2015 in the Panchkhal region of the Kavre district in the middle hills of Nepal. Drawing upon Bourdieu's concept ‘field of practice’, we identify three themes that are helpful to generate insights into the way vulnerability is socially produced in the hamlets of this region: social isolation, financial authority, and knowledge based supremacy exercised by the community elites and public officials. These factors operate to sustain social hierarchies and consequently constrain the long-term adaptability of marginalised groups. Three emergent adaptive strategies are also identified: human mobility, collective action, and occupational change. We conclude that vulnerability to the effects of climate change continues to be a largely socially produced phenomenon, shaped by complex interactions between social, cultural, economic and political processes happening in different places at different time scales.
Highlights Vulnerability in rural Nepal is produced by the complex interaction of socio-cultural, economic and political processes. Vulnerability is embedded in multiple forms of differentiations along the socio-cultural disparity. Adaptation strategies that fail to recognize socio-cultural aspects do not generate socially inclusive adaptation outcomes.
Social production of vulnerability to climate change in the rural middle hills of Nepal
Sapkota, Prativa (Autor:in) / Keenan, Rodney J. (Autor:in) / Paschen, Jana-Axinja (Autor:in) / Ojha, Hemant R. (Autor:in)
Journal of Rural Studies ; 48 ; 53-64
21.09.2016
12 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Social production of vulnerability to climate change in the rural middle hills of Nepal
| Online Contents | 2016
KHARDEP : rural development in the hills of Nepal
| Katalog Agrar | 1987
Traditional rural architecture and building methods in the hills of Central-Eastern Nepal
| UB Braunschweig | 1989