Government resettlement as participatory adaptation to climate change : exploring the role of knowledge in the Lower Shire region of Malawi
Abstract
There has been debate over how environmental change will influence migration. This
PhD explores one aspect of this: the impact of flooding on migration patterns and the
subsequent move by government actors to govern these migration patterns through
resettlement in Malawi. This research suggests that this move to govern migration reflects a
broader shift in the discourse of seeing migration as a positive opportunity and as adaptation
to environmental change. It focuses on the Lower Shire region of Malawi, an area particularly
impacted by flooding, and especially reflects on the participatory nature of the resettlement
process, as this is highlighted by influential international guidelines as being necessary for the
resettlement to be adaptive rather than mal-adaptive. To this end the research focuses on
the knowledges involved and the varying power dynamics. Fieldwork occurred between
August and November 2017 and consisted of 48 Interviews and six focus group discussions
with three communities in the Lower Shire that had three different attitudes (unwilling,
undecided, and resettled) towards resettlement. As well as 21 interviews with stakeholders
in government and NGOs involved in these communities and in the resettlement process at a
national and district level. The data showed that flooding related movements already occur
in the communities but, due to the increasing severity of flooding, there is a growing desire
by those in government and NGOs to initiate their own resettlement. However, official
resettlement due to flooding is novel in Malawi, and there is confusion over what it entails
and who is involved. This appears to lead to a disconnect between Resettlement, established
by the government and resettlement, movements initiated by those in vulnerable
communities. The data suggests that a key reason this disconnect develops is due to the
different perceptions of knowledge. It appears that there is a subtly pervasive disregard of
community knowledge and this can reduce the community agency within the resettlement
process and prevent it from being participatory. However, the data also highlighted the
intriguing ways the communities themselves can re-appropriate resettlement to indicate
their needs in the process, illustrating the fluidity of knowledge and power within the
resettlement process in Malawi.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
Collections
Description of related resources
Interview transcipts with stakeholders in government, NGOs and rural communities in Malawi (thesis data) Nicholson, H., University of St Andrews, 18 March 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/6336d9c7-bb04-4a1c-b08a-8d1dde39c41fRelated resources
https://doi.org/10.17630/6336d9c7-bb04-4a1c-b08a-8d1dde39c41f
Except where otherwise noted within the work, this item's licence for re-use is described as Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Items in the St Andrews Research Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.