Climate Change and Gendered Livelihoods in Bangladesh

This book explores the effects of Cyclone Aila on the rural livelihoods and gendered relations of two ethnically distinct forest communities in Bangladesh, focusing on the Munda and Shora communities. It adopts an ethnographic research design and analyzes the alterations to livelihood activities and reconfiguration of gender relations since 2009, contending that post-Aila, livelihoods and gendered relations have been transformed in both communities. The book will be of interest to academics in various fields.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Climate-induced disasters have profoundly impacted the lives, livelihoods, and gendered relations of marginalized communities worldwide. In this book, we delve into the effects of Cyclone Aila, which occurred in 2009 as a result of climate change, on the rural livelihoods and gendered relations of two ethnically distinct forest communities in Bangladesh: Munda, an indigenous group, and Shora, a Muslim group. Through an ethnographic research design, we examine the medium- to long-term impacts of the cyclone on livelihoods and compare the comparative aspects of gendered relations between these two contrasting communities. Our study aims to address a gap in current critical development studies by exploring the alterations to livelihood activities and reconfiguration of gender relations within the Munda and Shora communities since 2009.

Our primary contention is that post-Aila, livelihoods and gendered relations have undergone significant transformations in both communities. We argue that the improvement of local infrastructure, as an important component of the geographical location, has notably improved the living conditions and livelihoods of some members of the Munda and Shora communities.

Connecting climate-induced changes with the construction and alteration of gendered livelihood patterns, this book will appeal to a wide range of academics in the fields of Asian Studies, Sociology of Environment, Social Anthropology, Human Geography, Gender and Cultural Studies, Human Geography, Disaster Management, and Forestry and Environmental Science.

By examining the effects of Cyclone Aila on the rural livelihoods and gendered relations of these two distinct communities, we hope to contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between climate change, social dynamics, and human well-being.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032005911