The role of social networks in building adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change: a case study from northern Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick Dapilah ◽  
Jonas Østergaard Nielsen ◽  
Cecilie Friis
Author(s):  
Glenn Morgan ◽  
Andrew Sturdy ◽  
Michael Frenkel

The formation of global public policy takes place in diverse fields, populated by a range of different actors. One important, but neglected group is large management consultancy firms. This chapter examines why and how such firms have been able to exercise influence over global public policy. Emphasis is placed on their reputational power, the organizational structures which enable them to use and develop expertise, and the importance of their social networks amongst other elite actors. The chapter illustrates these themes through a case study of the REDD Initiative sponsored by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It concludes by outlining a research agenda which focuses on the power of consultancies in this arena, but also recognizes the limits to this power.


2021 ◽  
pp. 194016122110180
Author(s):  
Meghan M. Shea ◽  
James Painter ◽  
Shannon Osaka

While studies have investigated UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings as drivers of climate change reporting as well as the geopolitical role of Pacific Islands in these international forums, little research examines the intersection: how media coverage of Pacific Islands and climate change (PICC) may be influenced by, or may influence, UNFCCC meetings. We analyze two decades of reporting on PICC in American, British, and Australian newspapers—looking at both volume and content of coverage—and expand the quantitative results with semi-structured interviews with journalists and Pacific stakeholders. Issue attention on PICC increases and the content changes significantly in the periods around UNFCCC meetings, with shifts from language about vulnerability outside of UNFCCC periods to language about agency and solutions. We explore the implications of these differences in coverage for both agenda setting and the amplification of emotional appeals in UNFCCC contexts.


Author(s):  
Gudrun-Christine Schimpf ◽  
Georg Mildenberger ◽  
Susanne Giesecke ◽  
Attila Havas

The chapter deals with the trajectory of social housing as a social innovation in European countries from the nineteenth century to the present. The long-term analysis of this comprehensive case study is guided by the Extended Social Grid Model (ESGM). Following a short description of seven different phases of social housing, the chapter turns to the role of social powers and the capability approach. All in all, the involvement of various actors and social networks in shaping a successful innovation becomes visible. Another important point is the insight that social innovations have to adjust to ever changing contexts du their trajectory. The analysis sheds light on supporting conditions of successful social innovations and reflects on the co-evolution of social and business innovations.


Author(s):  
Claire Hamshire ◽  
W. Rod Cullen

The transition to higher education can be problematic for some students as they adapt to institutional procedures and degree level working at the same time as developing new social networks. To help facilitate these complex transitions institutions are increasingly turning towards digital technologies to provide both flexible access to resources and improved communication. This paper outlines the key issues associated with students' initial transitions to higher education and explores the challenges faced by academics designing induction procedures and programmes. The emerging role of digital technologies in supporting students' transitions into Higher Education, against the backdrop of a changing digital landscape in one institution is discussed and an evaluation of the easystart induction programme at Manchester Metropolitan University presented as a case study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Asare-Nuamah ◽  
Ebo Botchway ◽  
Justina A. Onumah

While there is no doubt that extension services play an active role in promoting smallholder farmers’ adaptive capacity and adaptation to climate change, there is a dearth of information and research on how this institution champions climate change adaptation in rural farming communities in Ghana. This study employed a qualitative case study design and interviewed 15 extension officers and 26 smallholder farmers to understand how extension services enhance smallholder farmers’ climate change adaptive capacity and adaptation in the rural Adansi North District in Ghana. The findings indicate that extension services adopt multiple strategies to build the adaptive capacity of farmers to climate change. Through the transfer of skills and knowledge, technology and innovations, supply of inputs, technical advice and liaison role with existing local institutions, farmers are able to adapt to climate change. The study further revealed that extension services are hindered by geographical, sociocultural and economic challenges which affect their alignment and fitness to effectively assist smallholder farmers. The study recommends strengthening the capacity of the extension institution. Moreover, more experts must be trained to provide special, targeted and important services to smallholder farmers in respect of climate change sensitization and adaptation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 397-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAFAEL MAGNUS BARBOSA MOSER ◽  
LAURO GONZALEZ

ABSTRACTThis paper reports an empirical case study on the interface between microfinance and climate change actions. Climate change, which until recently seemed a luxury for the microfinance sector, now appears to be crucial for its future. For their low adaptive capacity, the millions of microfinance clients worldwide happen to be the most vulnerable to a changing climate. However, such an arena is still blurred from an academic viewpoint, and inexistent among Brazilian academia. Therefore, by investigating Brazil’s largest rural MFI, Agroamigo, we aim at providing an empirical contribution to green microfinance. The main conclusion is that, albeit Agroamigo offers important links to climate change initiatives, it will need to take better account of specific vulnerabilities and risks to protect its portfolio and clients better from climate change impacts.


2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Yu ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Yu Zhu ◽  
Liyue Lin

This study attempts to examine how local migrant labour markets behave differently in regions with varying development levels and local economic characteristics, based on a 2009 migrant survey conducted in four case cities in Fujian province, China. The study reveals that earnings characteristics and the role of earnings determents vary greatly across geographic regions. Specifically, in the economically more developed region, the return to human capital is higher, the effect of primitive social networks is lower, and the effect of institutional and cultural barriers is weaker.


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