Disaster or not?. A case study on Bangladeshi wetland community’s perception on disaster, climate change and adaptation

      Аннотация: Wetlands living communities in Bangladesh are living under higher degree of vulnerabilities comparing to the national level. This work tried to identify the forms of natural disasters and climate change from the participants’ experience and secondary observatory data. It tried to see if there is any social bonding or capital being formed for adapting them? If so, then what are its characteristics? Contemplating the primary and secondary information to different social theories- the study finds that, the perception of disaster and climate change varies among communities. They only consider a natural phenomenon as disaster when it causes a predetermined level of damage; a level which is different from conventional disaster definitions. It was also found that social capital is catalyzing collective adaptation measures in the community. And therefore we have been able to identify a set of prerequisites for social capital formation. The paper recommends that policy intervention and proper execution from the government level is necessary to patronize this social capital and to mainstream the marginalized.

Ключевые слова: Adaptation, Climate change, Disaster, Livelihoods, Perception, Social capital, Wetland