title: Discourses of climate change adaptation policy in Thailand: Implications for sustainable development and sufficiency economy

authors: Tongdethsri, Tidavadee

subjects: climate change

abstract: The significant threat of climate change to sustainable development is most acute in developing countries, which are predicted to experience higher occurrences of wildfires, more extreme storm events, rising sea-level and increasing incidence of devastating floods. In studying climate change adaptation policy in a developing country context, this thesis focuses on Thailand and its attempts to respond to international, national, and local pressures to respond to climate change.

As there is little research on the nascent climate change adaptation policies in the country, the thesis makes a significant contribution to identifying, analysing, and understanding the key discourses of such policies at the international, national, and local levels. Specifically, it examines how the different discourses at each level shape initiatives to promote climate adaptation and what the implications of these discourses are for sustainable development and the uniquely Thai notion of the sufficiency economy.

The research involved examining key texts, including policy documents, national reports, legislation and press releases, and analysing interviews with key actors on climate change adaptation policies at the international and national levels, as well as a local case study of the USAID-funded Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (ARCC) project in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The findings reveal several discourses at each level, with distinctly different implications for sustainable development and for the fulfilment of the aims of the sufficiency economy.

Thailand’s adaptation responses were influenced to a great extent by the country’s desire to balance its international obligations with its local development needs. The ideas that the discourses propagate, and the extent of their dominance vary across different levels, each being shaped by the genre of the texts and the key actors involved in producing and disseminating the discourses. Overall, there were stronger links to sustainable development than sufficiency economy in adaptation policy discourses.

By examining the discourses of adaptation policy at different policy levels, the research highlights the similarities and differences in how adaptation is prioritised and adopted at each level, including the role of international agencies in shaping local adaptation responses. The study provides a foundation for further research into the role of climate adaptation and its contribution to sustainable development. It also provides a basis for further analysis into the links between the ideas that underpin the Thai concept of the sufficiency economy and notions of sustainable development, and how they can inform national policy and practice.

text: Discourses of climate change adaptation policy in Thailand: Implications for sustainable development and sufficiency economy The significant threat of climate change to sustainable development is most acute in developing countries, which are predicted to experience higher occurrences of wildfires, more extreme storm events, rising sea-level and increasing incidence of devastating floods. In studying climate change adaptation policy in a developing country context, this thesis focuses on Thailand and its attempts to respond to international, national, and local pressures to respond to climate change.

As there is little research on the nascent climate change adaptation policies in the country, the thesis makes a significant contribution to identifying, analysing, and understanding the key discourses of such policies at the international, national, and local levels. Specifically, it examines how the different discourses at each level shape initiatives to promote climate adaptation and what the implications of these discourses are for sustainable development and the uniquely Thai notion of the sufficiency economy.

The research involved examining key texts, including policy documents, national reports, legislation and press releases, and analysing interviews with key actors on climate change adaptation policies at the international and national levels, as well as a local case study of the USAID-funded Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (ARCC) project in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The findings reveal several discourses at each level, with distinctly different implications for sustainable development and for the fulfilment of the aims of the sufficiency economy.

Thailand’s adaptation responses were influenced to a great extent by the country’s desire to balance its international obligations with its local development needs. The ideas that the discourses propagate, and the extent of their dominance vary across different levels, each being shaped by the genre of the texts and the key actors involved in producing and disseminating the discourses. Overall, there were stronger links to sustainable development than sufficiency economy in adaptation policy discourses.

By examining the discourses of adaptation policy at different policy levels, the research highlights the similarities and differences in how adaptation is prioritised and adopted at each level, including the role of international agencies in shaping local adaptation responses. The study provides a foundation for further research into the role of climate adaptation and its contribution to sustainable development. It also provides a basis for further analysis into the links between the ideas that underpin the Thai concept of the sufficiency economy and notions of sustainable development, and how they can inform national policy and practice.

year: 2021

title: Extended kinship among urban Samoan migrants: Towards an explanation of its persistence in urban New Zealand

authors: Macpherson, C.

abstract: This thesis examines the structure and composition of extended kin groups among Western Samoan migrants in New Zealand, and comments on their role and significance in migrant social organisation.

Certain factors which could explain the continued significance of these groupings are identified and examined. The factors identified suggest that individuals continue to accept the rights and obligations associated with membership of an extended kin group partly because they believe that it is in their interests to do so and partly because they have little option.

The material is placed within the context of the current debate on the relationship between economic organisation and associated kinship structures. The thesis concludes that Western Samoan migrants have retained an extended kin group which closely resembles the modified extended family reported in the family literature, and that under certain conditions extended kin groups may emerge, or persist, in urban industrial societies.

text: Extended kinship among urban Samoan migrants: Towards an explanation of its persistence in urban New Zealand This thesis examines the structure and composition of extended kin groups among Western Samoan migrants in New Zealand, and comments on their role and significance in migrant social organisation.

Certain factors which could explain the continued significance of these groupings are identified and examined. The factors identified suggest that individuals continue to accept the rights and obligations associated with membership of an extended kin group partly because they believe that it is in their interests to do so and partly because they have little option.

The material is placed within the context of the current debate on the relationship between economic organisation and associated kinship structures. The thesis concludes that Western Samoan migrants have retained an extended kin group which closely resembles the modified extended family reported in the family literature, and that under certain conditions extended kin groups may emerge, or persist, in urban industrial societies.

year: 1975

title: The intergenerational perpetuation of achievement messages in whānau

authors: Southey, Kim Marie

subjects: Maori

abstract: The current research is an open exploration of achievement messages that are carried from generation to generation in whānau, in relation to the mainstream education system of Aotearoa. Participant groups comprised of two to three generations within each whānau. A maximum of eight whānau will be asked to participate. A series of continuous conversations will be held with each member of the whānau, reminiscent of the narrative approach, but most recently described as a methodology that allows for ensuring that data is collected in its fullest form.
Differing views about achievement and how it is negotiated within whānau will be explored; along with issues on what, and who, within whānau are the most predominant indicators of achievement views. Detracting from an ethnocentric view of scholastic ability (a common marker for achievement) is done through abandoning mainstream ideals. This research favours an open exploration approach allowing for differing values about what constitutes achievement, and what context achievement is based in. Outcomes of the research are intended to show patterns within whānau and among Māori on the mainstream school system, and how this system has contributed to achievement messages. The positive or negative nature of the contribution from mainstream education is highly important and relevant to further research goals, including the ability to use outcomes to suggest social change in education provision for Māori.

text: The intergenerational perpetuation of achievement messages in whānau The current research is an open exploration of achievement messages that are carried from generation to generation in whānau, in relation to the mainstream education system of Aotearoa. Participant groups comprised of two to three generations within each whānau. A maximum of eight whānau will be asked to participate. A series of continuous conversations will be held with each member of the whānau, reminiscent of the narrative approach, but most recently described as a methodology that allows for ensuring that data is collected in its fullest form.
Differing views about achievement and how it is negotiated within whānau will be explored; along with issues on what, and who, within whānau are the most predominant indicators of achievement views. Detracting from an ethnocentric view of scholastic ability (a common marker for achievement) is done through abandoning mainstream ideals. This research favours an open exploration approach allowing for differing values about what constitutes achievement, and what context achievement is based in. Outcomes of the research are intended to show patterns within whānau and among Māori on the mainstream school system, and how this system has contributed to achievement messages. The positive or negative nature of the contribution from mainstream education is highly important and relevant to further research goals, including the ability to use outcomes to suggest social change in education provision for Māori.

year: 2003