The prospects that global climate change will have adverse effects on human societies opened up a discourse about how adaptation should be managed. In order to finance adap-tation measures, the parties of the Kyoto Protocol recently established the Adaptation Fund in 2007. In view of the limited resources that are available for adaptation, scales for the prioritization of countries according to their suspected vulnerability have been developed in the literature. Indicators of vulnerability highlighted within this literature, only reflect the indicators of human development and therefore fail to capture the complex structures of vulnerability. The collective learning approach assumes that vulnerability can be significantly decreased when governance systems adapt to external changes through collective learning processes. The present thesis connects to this notion and therefore assesses the influence of collective learning processes on the vulnerability of the Bangladeshi and Pakistani society towards flood hazards. It does so in order to find a determinant of vulnerability that is able to capture its complexity. Following a case study comparison that is based on a systematic research on primary and secondary literature this study reconfirms that vulnerability can substantially be decreased in the presence of collective learning processes.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 State of Research
1.2 Theoretical Framework and Conceptualization
1.2.1 Governance in Social-Ecological Systems
1.2.2 Vulnerability and Adaptation to External Stressors
1.2.3 Collective Learning Processes in Social-Ecological Systems
1.3 Research Design and Methodology
1.4 Case Study Selection
1.4.1 Why Study Floods in Developing Countries?
1.4.2 Comparative Method and Case-Studies
2 Case Study of Bangladesh
2.1 Parameters of Flood and Disaster Management
2.1.1 Political Transition and the Governance of Flood Management
2.1.2 Complexity of Flood Disasters and Vulnerability
2.2 Learning Processes in the Governance of Flood Management before 1988 until Recently
2.2.1 Development Prior to 1988
2.2.2 Changes after the Floods of 1988
2.2.3 Changes after the Floods of 1998
2.3 Collective Learning Processes in the Governance of Flood and Disaster Management in Bangladesh
3 The Case Study of Pakistan
3.1 Parameters of Flood and Disaster Management
3.1.1 Political Transition and Flood Management
3.1.2 Complexity of Flood Disasters and Vulnerability
3.2 Learning Processes in the Governance of Flood Management after 1971
3.2.1 Development in the Flood and Disaster Management after 1971
3.2.2 The Floods of 2010 and their Aftermath
3.3 Collective Learning Processes in the Governance of Flood and Disaster Management in Pakistan
4 Conclusion
4.1 Collective Learning in Flood and Disaster Management: A Comparison
4.2 Summary of Findings
4.2.1 First Research Question
4.2.2 Second Research Question
4.3 Limitations and Outlook
Research Objectives and Themes
The thesis explores the relationship between collective learning processes within governance systems and the vulnerability of societies to flood hazards. By comparing the case studies of Bangladesh and Pakistan, the study aims to identify whether collective learning acts as a significant determinant in reducing societal vulnerability and how these systems adapt to external stressors like climate change.
- Analysis of collective learning processes within social-ecological governance systems.
- Examination of vulnerability determinants in flood-prone developing countries.
- Comparative assessment of flood and disaster management in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
- Integration of institutional theory and disaster risk management to explain adaptive capacity.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2.1 Governance in Social-Ecological Systems
The following subsection aims on highlighting factors within social-ecological systems that are relevant for this system’s ability to adapt to external shocks like natural disasters. It therefore starts with a brief introduction to important concepts in the governance research. Subsequently, specific components of governance systems are highlighted, which build the basis for the analysis of the two case studies.
From a systems theory perspective, the functioning of a social system cannot be solely seen as a consequence of the political system or state (Luhmann 1975; Ibid. 2000). The present thesis connects to this notion and draws back to a governance concept that considers hierarchical and non-hierarchical modes of social coordination, which may or may not include governmental involvement (Mayntz 2004; Risse and Lehmkuhl 2006; Börzel 2010). Throughout this study the term governance refers to “the entirety of all co-existing modes of collectively regulating social matters” (Mayntz 2004: 66). This definition includes different modes of social coordination, state and non-state actors and multi-level coordination that are going to be discussed further.
Governance is an often used, but nevertheless blurry term within the social sciences. Though, it is often confused with government, the actual meaning of both terms differ significantly. From a political science perspective, government and governance have similar outputs, while differences derive from the mode of establishing rules or steering collective action. In contrast to hierarchical structures that are a defining feature of government, governance refers to less restrictive mechanisms of governing, which can also include private actors (Stoker 1998: 17). Governance perspective can therefore explain to certain extends how hierarchical and non-hierarchical patterns can be part of one system simultaneously.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the research scope regarding the influence of collective learning on societal vulnerability to flood disasters, establishing a theoretical base in governance and adaptation.
2 Case Study of Bangladesh: Analyzes the political and administrative development of flood management in Bangladesh, focusing on how institutional and actor-network shifts influenced the country's response to recurring floods.
3 The Case Study of Pakistan: Investigates the governance of flood and disaster management in Pakistan, contrasting its institutional history and limited collective learning patterns with those found in Bangladesh.
4 Conclusion: Compares the findings from both countries to confirm the hypothesis that collective learning processes significantly contribute to the reduction of vulnerability to flood hazards.
Keywords
Collective learning, vulnerability, flood management, disaster risk reduction, governance systems, social-ecological systems, adaptation, institutional change, Bangladesh, Pakistan, climate change, actor networks, adaptive capacity, resilience, polycentric governance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this research?
The primary objective is to investigate the influence of collective learning processes on the vulnerability of societies to natural hazards, specifically floods, using a comparative case study approach.
What are the key thematic areas addressed?
The work covers environmental governance, disaster risk management, the role of institutional frameworks, and the conceptualization of adaptive capacity within complex social-ecological systems.
What methodology is employed?
The thesis utilizes a mixed research design, primarily consisting of qualitative analysis of collective learning patterns compared through Mill's Design of Difference in two empirical case studies.
What is the core focus of the analysis?
It focuses on how governance systems, defined by institutions, actors, and multi-level interactions, evolve through collective learning to improve a system's ability to cope with non-linear stressors like floods.
What does the main body cover?
The main body examines the historical evolution of flood and disaster management in Bangladesh and Pakistan, scrutinizing how these nations have (or have not) institutionalized collective learning to reduce vulnerability.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include collective learning, adaptive governance, social-ecological resilience, vulnerability, flood hazard management, and institutional reform.
How do Bangladesh and Pakistan differ in their approach to flood risk?
The research suggests that Bangladesh demonstrated significant progress in institutionalizing participatory and adaptive strategies, whereas Pakistan's approach remained largely technocratic, centralized, and slow to implement structural changes.
Why are floods used as the primary case study?
Floods are complex phenomena that necessitate multi-level coordination and interaction between humans and their environment, making them ideal for demonstrating the effectiveness of governance systems.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Tina Peissker (Autor:in), 2011, The Governance of Climate Change Adaptation in Developing Countries, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/199865
