Political Ecology of Disasters: An Examination of Vulnerability in South-West Coastal areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

The study examines vulnerability and disasters with the lens of political ecology. The contemporary research is mostly applying the apolitical approach that overlooks the causation of differential vulnerabilities and the risk of disasters. The literature is still silent to find answers of ‘how the power led process and drivers are shaping/changing the ecology of an area and causing differential vulnerabilities and risks in the society? There is still no specific answer on ‘why a section of people are facing life-long vulnerabilities and placing in unsafe conditions? On this backdrop, the research sets three major aims: i) to examine the power-led processes and drivers of ecological change of an area causing differential vulnerabilities and risks of disaster; ii) to define underlying factors of differential vulnerabilities and risks in the society; and iii) to mapping of people and places being gradually vulnerable to disaster in South-West coastal areas of Bangladesh. The research systematically examines the existing processes and drivers of ecological changes in south-west coastal study areas that causing differential vulnerabilities and risk of disaster. The apolitical analysis of vulnerability rarely attempts to examine power-driven processes of ecological change that forces a section of people to be vulnerable and stay at risk in situation of disaster. The study has made a specific focus on assessing human-environment interactions through analysing three interlinked processes (i.e., traditional, functional, and historical) and power-led drivers of ecological change in study areas. It applies three forms of analysis: i) situation analysis; ii) spatial data (satellite remote sensing data) analysis, and iii) perception analysis to find the answers to research queries. The analytical findings reveals the functions of three diverse processes and several power-led drivers in changing ecology of south west coastal areas and causing differential vulnerabilities and risks of disasters. This also defined a set of underlying factors, which are active to create unsafe condition and risk situation for a section of people in the society. The study also examines changing scenarios of landscape changes in south-west coastal study areas from 1980 to 2020. The landscape change process visualises five specific areas: i) agricultural land; ii) settlements and homestead vegetation; iii) shrimp firms and water bodies; iv) rivers, and v) forest areas. i The findings reveal a declining trend of agricultural land but an increasing trend of human settlement & homestead vegetation, and shrimp firming & water bodies that refer to the functions of human-induced actions in modification of the natural environment, as well as changing ecology of south-west coastal areas. The competitive and conflicting human actions are contributing to making maximum benefits for the rich and powerful, where the poor and vulnerable people become the main losers. The people’s perception has defined a positive correlation of power relations with prevailing discriminations, landlessness, and exclusion from the decision-making process and practices in south-west coastal areas of Bangladesh. The study potentially examines root causes, dynamic pressures, and unsafe conditions in line with the Pressure and Release (PAR) model, which is causally linked with the progression of vulnerabilities and the risk of disasters. The analysis refers to a statement that people, who live in unsafe conditions are at risk of disaster if they face external hazards. The study finds out that the statement is not fully correct in the context of south-west coastal areas of Bangladesh. It signifies that the people, who are in unsafe conditions always living in a disaster like situation due to their lifelong vulnerabilities. And it is not always required the functions of external hazards for their risk situation. The research further suggested a set of actions for reducing the adverse impacts of causal factors for differential vulnerabilities and the risk of disasters in the society. Finally, the study further identifies the proportionate vulnerability of the people and places as a key concern of changing ecology. This is taken into consideration for developing a framework for ecological resilience as a safeguard for the vulnerable people and places in south-west coastal areas of Bangladesh. It is expected that the findings will guide new researchers, development planners and policymakers to realize and consider the forces of power-led process and drivers of ecological change in national development planning, policy formulation and strategic documentation that may add value to achieve sustainable development in Bangladesh.