Abstract

Sea level rise, tropical cyclones, saltwater intrusion, and coastal flooding along with many other natural hazards are increasingly common in many parts of the world, and regions like coastal Bangladesh are at the frontline of these impacts. Due, in part, to the ongoing climate crisis, male members of coastal households in Bangladesh are outmigrating temporarily or permanently. Reduced farm productivity can be blamed on this to a large extent. Men leave female members of their households behind in their coastal villages during the first phase of migration. This creates a new form of social injustice as women are not only exposed to the negative impacts of the climate crisis to a larger extent, but they also face the challenges of maintaining a farming livelihood as they confront patriarchal socio-cultural norms and expectations during the absence of male members of the families. Using the frameworks of critical development and political ecology, this paper unpacks how these farming women who stay in the rural villages in coastal Bangladesh have a higher social vulnerability then men do. More particularly, this paper illustrates the complex nature of social and environmental injustice, experienced by women because of the outmigration of male members of the households. An intersectional approach further explains how, in contrast to usual class / income privileges, religio-cultural norms and prohibitions result in women belonging to the ethno-religious majority being more vulnerable than minority women. This is due to restrictions from interacting alone with men to whom they are not related, which reduces their access to the knowledge and resources that flows though male-dominated social networks. This article contributes to our understanding of the complex interactions between humans and the environment, mediated by various social, cultural, and political factors, and provides critical policy insights on inclusive adaptation and long-term sustainability.

摘要

在世界许多地方，海平面上升，热带气旋，盐水入侵和沿海洪水以及许多其他自然灾害在世界许多地区越来越普遍，而孟加拉国沿海等地区正处于这些影响的最前线。在某种程度上，由于持续的气候危机，孟加拉国沿海家庭的男性成员暂时或永久移居国外。很大程度上可以归咎于农场生产力的下降。在迁移的第一阶段，男人将女性家庭成员留在了沿海村庄。由于妇女不仅在更大程度上受到气候危机的不利影响，这造成了一种新的社会不公正现象，但是，在没有男性家庭成员的情况下，他们面对重男轻女的社会文化规范和期望时，也面临着维持农业生计的挑战。本文使用关键发展和政治生态学的框架，揭示了留在孟加拉国沿海乡村的这些农业妇女如何比男性具有更高的社会脆弱性。更具体地说，本文说明了由于家庭男性成员的外流，妇女经历的社会和环境不公正现象的复杂性。交叉的方法进一步说明，与通常的阶级/收入特权相比，宗教文化的规范和禁令如何导致属于种族宗教多数的妇女比少数族裔的妇女更容易受到伤害。这是由于限制，他们无法与与自己无关的男性单独互动，从而减少了他们对通过男性主导的社交网络流动的知识和资源的访问。本文有助于我们理解由各种社会，文化和政治因素介导的人类与环境之间的复杂相互作用，并提供有关包容性适应和长期可持续性的重要政策见解。