Community, empowerment, and everyday politics: public space between Bangkok and Barcelona

Title: Community, empowerment, and everyday politics: public space between Bangkok and Barcelona

Author: Franziska Dienstl

Year: 2025

Keywords: Public Space; Community; Empowerment; The Right to the City; Emotional, Geography; Spatial Appropriation

Themes: Public Sphere and Media, Environmental Politics and Policy

Advisor(s): Jakkrit Sangkhamanee

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This thesis examines how public spaces with high citizen appropriation contribute to urban residents’ sense of community and empowerment in two contrasting cases, Wat Don Cemetery Park in Bangkok and Plaça de Santa Madrona in Barcelona. It approaches public space not simply as physical space, but as a social and political infrastructure through which quality of life, as well as dimensions of community, civic identity, power, and expression are manifested and (re-)negotiated in everyday urban life (Abrahão, 2016 ; Andersson, 2016). The study brings together the Right to the City (Lefebvre, 1996) and Emotional Geography (Davidson et al., 2016) to analyse how public space works as a field of power dynamics and how users within it affectively experience space, in turn re-shaping relationships with and within public space. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative, phenomenological and comparative case study design based on literature review, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews. By comparing two politically and culturally distinct urban contexts, the paper asks how perceptions of community and empowerment are shaped by different spatial, cultural and political conditions. This further fills a methodological gap of comparison across different contexts of ‘development’, as described by Anguelovski (2014). This paper contributes to debates on urban justice futures by showing how public space is lived, negotiated, and politically meaningful across different contexts.

Local innovations in the davao cacao industry: the role of intermediaries in improving farmer livelihoods

Title: Local innovations in the davao cacao industry: the role of intermediaries in improving farmer livelihoods

Author: Gabrielle Dominique Centena

Year: 2025

Keywords: cacao, Philippines, Davao, local innovation, inclusive development,, traceability

Themes: Innovation for Inclusive Development ,Environmental Politics and Policy

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Despite having the ideal landscape and climate for cacao production, the Philippines still lags in output generation. Globally, the country is the 24th largest producer of cacao beans, with 78% of its national cacao output coming from the Davao region. The research primarily concentrates on examining local innovations in the Davao cacao industry, the processes on how they’re produced, and the innovation ecosystem composed of actors such as farmers, government agencies, research institutions, private industry associations, and external organizations that enable them. Grounded in political economy, the research draws on the theoretical frameworks of local innovation and inclusive development. A total of sixteen interviews across all the actors was conducted in the Davao region, mainly seeking to examine how local innovation arises within the industry and how it services their objective of sustainable outcomes. The research found that local innovations in the Davao cacao industry are perceived to contribute to inclusive development when it is initiated based on grounded realities and that there must be a collaborative ecosystem and system-level support to ensure the inclusion of smallholders. The research also stresses the role of collective action in increasing smallholder inclusion. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the cacao industry in the country and offer valuable insights for other agricultural commodity chains

Assessing Karen indigenous governance in Kaw Thay Ghu, Kawthoolei through the lens of the governance vitality framework

Title: Assessing Karen indigenous governance in Kaw Thay Ghu, Kawthoolei through the lens of the governance vitality framework

Author: Phapi Rakdamrongphorn

Year: 2025

Keywords: Kaw Indigenous Governance Community Conservation Indigenous Resurgence Cultural Resilience

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy,Civil society and Democracy,Human Development and Human Security

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This thesis examines how the traditional Karen governance institution of the Kaw sustains environmental conservation and community well-being in Kaw Thay Ghu, an Indigenous territory in Kawthoolei (Karen State, Myanmar). Situated within a conflict-affected landscape facing challenges from armed violence, displacement, and climate change, this study employs a qualitative case study approach, combining focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with elders, leaders, and youth. The research applies the Governance Vitality Framework (GVF) to assess how the five interrelated dimensions of governance are articulated within the Kaw system: Strategic Adaptability, Connectivity and Collaboration, Wisdom from Local Experience, Creativity and Empowerment, and Inspiring Collective Values. Findings reveal that the revitalization of Indigenous practices—especially the Yaw Kaw ritual or “walking the land”—has strengthened all five dimensions of governance vitality. Yaw Kaw serves as an adaptive governance mechanism that re-engages youth in ancestral stewardship, fosters inter-village cooperation, reinforces ecological knowledge, and renews shared spiritual values. This resurgent Indigenous praxis enhances both conservation outcomes, such as the establishment of community forests and fish sanctuaries, and the broader goals of cultural resilience and Indigenous self-determination. By linking cultural revival with environmental governance, the study demonstrates that governance vitality plays an essential role in sustaining ecological integrity and community autonomy in conflict-affected Indigenous territories. The thesis contributes to academic and policy debates on Indigenous governance, conservation, and resilience, offering practical recommendations for policymakers, conservation organizations, and international allies to support Indigenous-led environmental governance and peacebuilding.This thesis examines the role of traditional Karen governance institutions, or the "Kaw" system, in maintaining environmental conservation and community well-being in Kaw Thay Ghu, an indigenous territory within the Kawthule Administrative Region (Karen State, Myanmar). This is done within the context of an area affected by conflict and facing challenges from armed violence, displacement, and climate change. The study employs a qualitative case study approach, combining focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with elders, community leaders, and youth. The research applies the Governance Vitality (GVF) framework to assess the five interconnected dimensions of governance within the "Kaw" system: Strategic Adaptability, Connectivity and Collaboration, Wisdom from Local Experience, Creativity and Empowerment, and Inspiring Collective Values. The findings indicate that the revitalization of indigenous practices is crucial. In particular, the "Yaw Kaw" or "Boundary Walk" ritual has helped strengthen the five dimensions of Governance Vitality. "Yaw Kaw" serves as an adaptive governance mechanism that engages youth in the preservation of ancestral lands, fosters inter-village cooperation, enhances ecological knowledge, and revitalizes shared spiritual values. This indigenous resurgence has improved conservation outcomes, such as the establishment of community forests and fish sanctuaries. Including broader goals of cultural resilience and indigenous self-determination rights, this study demonstrates how linking cultural revitalization to environmental governance makes governance vital in maintaining ecological integrity and community autonomy in conflict-affected indigenous territories. This thesis contributes to academic and policy debates on indigenous governance, conservation, and resilience, and offers practical recommendations for policymakers, conservation organizations, and international partners to support indigenous-led environmental governance and peacebuilding.

Understanding pluriversal ontology: the cases of three alternative agriculture communities in Sisaket province, northeastern, Thailand

Title: Understanding pluriversal ontology: the cases of three alternative agriculture communities in Sisaket province, northeastern, Thailand

Author: Thita Ornin

Year: 2024

Keywords: Alternative Agriculture, Post-development, Pluriverse, Ontology

Themes: Post-development, Environmental Politics and Policy, Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: In reaction to the global development paradigm, the concept of Pluriverse has played a pivotal role in exploring alternatives to development, aiming to foster a world that accommodates multiple worlding with the goals to facilitate various approaches to collective well-being, moving away from anthropocentric, linear growth within the modern capitalist development. This thesis seeks to understand alternative agriculture cases in the Northeast of Thailand through the Pluriversal ontology conceptual framework and to determine its usefulness through the following proposed framework; (1) alternative agricultural development discourse analysis, (2) friction and assimilation with modernity and (3) post-development values. Taken an inspiration from various global south countries’ literature especially from South Asia and Latin America, the thesis adds empirical case studies from Sisaket province, Thailand, to the literature. Firstly, the Buddhist community of Srisa Asoke which engages in natural farming guided by a stringent Buddhist moral code. Secondly, the Taam and People Association, a social movement which comprises individuals whose wetland livelihoods are impacted by the Rasi Salai dam. Lastly, Raitong and SCFN Farmers, a social enterprise-oriented organization dedicating to support smallholder organic farmers in participating in the global food market while adopting the principles of organic farming and fair-trade global standards.This thesis is a qualitative study based on the use of primary and secondary data and extensive fieldwork, including participant observation and numerous in-depth interviews with identified community members.It argues that the case studies can be identified with more than one alternative agriculture development discourse at a time, and that discourses are fluid and influential to one another. The three alternative cases also illustrated coexistence with the mainstream development, creating friction and strategic self-assimilation with modernity represented by state, surplus, and science. And the post-development values discussed in this paper including simplicity, justice, equity and non-hierarchy, rights, non-violence, the economy of care and gender inclusivity, prosperity and dignity, autonomy and self-reliance, solidarity and reciprocity, common ethics, oneness with nature, although similar values are found in alternative communities worldwide, the practical nuances of these values from Thailand differ from other countries in the Global South. The values aligned with post-development can empower the communities to maintain their alternative identities, allowing them to practically navigate within the mainstream context while holding onto diverse imaginaries. This is to say that alternative agriculture movement, all has varied ontological realities which were influenced by interplays on external development agendas, and internal idealism. All can shape forms of social change in their own scale whether the approaches are called reformative or transformative

Thailand's never-ending pesticide debate: Contested future sociotechnical imaginaries through a relational co-productionist lens

Title: Thailand's never-ending pesticide debate: Contested future sociotechnical imaginaries through a relational co-productionist lens

Author: Henriette Erawan Kamphorst

Year: 2024

Keywords: Sociotechnical Imaginaries, Pathways, Relational Co-production, Sustainable Agriculture, Futures thinking

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Health, Post-development

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Since the introduction of the Green Revolution, the use of agrochemicals in Thai farming has sparked repeated contentious debates among local policy elites, addressing issues such as consumer health, farmer livelihoods, and environmental degradation. In 2019, this subject re-emerged on the policy agenda with the proposed ban of three key agrochemicals: Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat, and Glyphosate. In order to understand why the pesticide issue has remained on policy actors’ agendas for so long and still continues to be subject to ongoing debate, this research takes on a new perspective by adopting a relational co-productionist approach in the construction of contesting sociotechnical imaginaries of Thailand’s future pathways to sustainable agriculture. It examines how these imaginaries shape the positions of two dominant movements in this debate: Sustainable Intensification (SI), which advocates for controlled pesticide use to maintain food security, and Agroecology (AE), which seeks fundamental reform of the global food system for food sovereignty.This study employs a qualitative research design built on 29 in-depth interviews with actors from relevant epistemic communities supporting each sociotechnical imaginary. The conceptual framework guided the interview process, focusing on the four sociotechnical dimensions to enable for a comparative analysis of their interactions.The study produced notable key findings. Firstly, by exposing the chronology of events that led to the window of opportunity for a ban policy to emerge, it becomes clear that the political context of the 2019 general election played a critical role in involving public health experts and shifting the debate toward health-related issues rather than the more common environmental focus. Secondly, the intertwined nature of the narratives leading both imaginaries has often led to any debates quickly reaching an impasse as arguments become repetitive and outcomes unchanged, with the notable contention being the true definition of what sustainable agriculture truly means. Thirdly, agrochemicals are shown to be either viewed as part of the solution by the SI supporters or as part of the problem by AE advocates leading to different kinds of knowledge bases to be created and built upon. Based on these findings, the recommendation is made that each side has the potential to take a step forward in attempting to find common ground together by shifting collaborative dialogue towards long-term future making, with the inclusion of farmers’ voices who may offer a relatively lesser heard yet vital perspective in policy debates. This study delivers strong implications that the framework of relational co-production of sociotechnical imaginaries offers policymakers a lens for understanding the roots of policy inertia by situating debates in the context of their position in peoples’ future making of the world and the technological systems associated with these

Risk perceptions of coffee growers in northern Thailand: a case study of Chiang Rai province

Title: Risk perceptions of coffee growers in northern Thailand: a case study of Chiang Rai province

Author: Melody Sie

Year: 2024

Keywords: Thai coffee agriculture risk perception agricultural livelihoods Thai farmers climate risks

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Human development and Human security, Disaster and Crisis Management

Advisor(s): Jakkrit Sangkhamanee

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Thailand's coffee sector faces numerous risks, impacting coffee farmers' livelihoods. This study explores risk perception and management strategies through in-depth interviews with coffee farmers based in Chiang Rai province. Drawing from Joy Harwood’s categorization of agricultural risk, the risks assessed in this study fell under the domains of production, market, and institutional risks. Farmers' perceptions of these risks were analyzed by considering the mental strategies and biases (heuristics) that shaped their perceptions, as well as how farmers measured risk according to their risk attributes (frequency, severity, adaptation ability). The values, emotions, and experiences of farmers shape the foreground of farmers' mentality and priorities in judging risk, which in turn, affects how farmers respond when determining a risk's attributes. Such values included community engagement, quality, innovation, and sustainability. Farmers' responses to risk also demonstrated emotions of frustration, resilience, and happiness, reflecting the drivers for farmers in their approaches to farming and informing the amount of risk each farmer would take on based on the level of emotional attachment. Inconsistent rainfall was perceived to be the most anticipated risk regarding future occurrence and was also perceived as the risk with the most severe impact. On the other hand, farmers perceived barriers to market access as the risk with the greatest ability to adapt. Other risks such as knowledge barriers and limited agricultural expansion were also ranked among the risks with the most severe impact, revealing that the magnitude of risks span across risk domains, outside of just production risks. The findings of the study reveal the intricate relationship between emotional responses, personal experiences, initial exposures, and cultural values in shaping farmers' risk perceptions, and bring attention to the need for comprehensive support from government agencies to partner directly with farmers in order to secure the long-term sustainability for Thailand's coffee sector and the livelihoods of the farmers involved.

From climate perception to climate action: case study of transforming sustainable rice cultivation in DoemBang Subdistrict, Suphan Buri Province, Thailand

Title: From climate perception to climate action: case study of transforming sustainable rice cultivation in DoemBang Subdistrict, Suphan Buri Province, Thailand

Author: Chotika Thamsuwan

Year: 2024

Keywords: Climate perception, Climate change, Mitigation action, Sustainable, rice cultivation, Theory of Planned Behavior

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Innovation for Inclusive Development, Development Management

Advisor(s): Jakkrit Sangkhamanee

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: The thesis explores the critical link between climate perception and sustainable rice cultivation practices. The study highlights the vulnerability of the agricultural sector, particularly rice farming, to climate impacts and emphasizes the necessity of transitioning to sustainable practices as part of Thailand’s broader goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030. Employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the analytical framework, this qualitative research explores how smallholder farmers in the Doem Bang subdistrict conceptualize climate change and sustainable rice cultivation. The study investigates the socio-psychological determinants—behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control—that shape farmers’ intentions and actions regarding the adoption of climate mitigation techniques such as laser land leveling, alternate wetting and drying, site-specific nutrient management, and straw and stubble management. Furthermore, the study also explores how climate knowledge is generated and applied locally, involving collaboration between farmers, policymakers, and experts.Data collection involved in-depth interviews with 24 informants, including smallholder farmers, agricultural officers, and a community leader, complemented by policy reviews and field observations. Findings reveal that farmers' perceptions are influenced by a combination of personal experiences with climate variability, social pressures within the community, and policy-driven incentives. The interplay of these factors determines the extent to which climate awareness is translated into proactive mitigation actions. The research concludes that fostering sustainable practices requires a nuanced understanding of local contexts, robust community engagement, and integrated policy support. The study's insights contribute to shaping targeted strategies and policies that enhance the adoption of climate-smart agriculture, serving as a model for other regions confronting similar challenges. This work underscores the importance of aligning climate perception with actionable, sustainable practices to advance climate resilience in Thailand's rice production

The implications of legal pluralism to understanding mining conflicts : A socio-legal study of Thailand’s Chatree gold mine

Title: The implications of legal pluralism to understanding mining conflicts : A socio-legal study of Thailand’s Chatree gold mine

Author: Sara Kimberly Phillips

Year: 2024

Keywords: Legal pluralism; mining conflict; socio-legal research; resource governance;, investor-state dispute settlement; environmental justice

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This thesis explores the conflict surrounding Thailand’s Chatree gold mine through a socio-legal analysis grounded in the conceptual framework of legal pluralism. As mineral extraction becomes increasingly central to global sustainability agendas, including the clean energy transition and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this research critically examines how competing normative orderings shape actor relations, conflict dynamics, and perceptions of justice in contested mining contexts. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork, including interviews and focus groups, the study investigates how various actor groups engage with, navigate, and seek to reshape largely interconnected normative systems. These systems include formal legal mechanisms, customary and cultural norms, and economic rationalities, and further relate to environmental justice discourses. By analyzing the lifecycle of the Chatree gold mine and the evolution of mining conflict over time, the thesis reveals how actors strategically mobilize these normative orderings to assert claims, influence decision-making, and seek redress.Through this empirical case study, the thesis demonstrates the analytical utility of legal pluralism in understanding mining conflicts and contributes to broader debates on natural resource governance, law and development, business and human rights, and socio-environmental justice. The findings underscore the limitations of dominant governance frameworks, such as corporate social responsibility and social license to operate, arguing instead for a more nuanced and contextually informed approach to justice and sustainability in mining that addresses structural deficits in development decision-making. Such an approach works to reveal how struggles over norms and legitimacy are deeply embedded in localized experiences of harm and competing visions of development. It also demonstrates how actors creatively draw on diverse normative systems to contest mining projects and reimagine what just and sustainable development could look like. In undertaking this work, the thesis advances both methodological and theoretical insights into the role of law and normative contestation in shaping development outcomes

Public authority and legitimacy in land and forest resources governance in the salween peace park

Title: Public authority and legitimacy in land and forest resources governance in the salween peace park

Author: Saw Zaw Win Htoo

Year: 2024

Keywords: Governance, public authority, legitimacy, customary, state-like institution,, land, forest

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Civil society and Democracy, Post-development

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This thesis examines the governance of land and forest resources in the Salween Peace Park (SPP), located in Kawthoolei (Karen State), Burma. The thesis specifically focuses on a village, referred to as P’ Saw Lu village, by conceptualizing “public authority.” It explores the production of public authority and legitimacy from the two coexisting governing systems within the SPP: the Karen National Union (KNU) as a state-like actor and the customary Kaw. The data analysis of this thesis is based on data collected in P’ Saw Lu village through four in-depth interviews with key informants, six individual interviews with villagers, two focus group discussions, four key informants, participatory observation, and community mapping, as well as secondary sources. The findings reveal that land and forest governance in P’ Saw Lu village of the SPP is shaped by both the KNU and customary Kaw institutions. While the KNU exercises formal structures through bureaucratic departments like the KFD and KAD, the customary system exercises public authority through traditional structures, the Kaw governance. Public authority is produced through daily practices of various actors, including the KNU’s officials, such as the KFD and KAD authorities, village head and area administrator, and customary leaders, such as Kaw Hko, elders, and skilled diviners. Public authority is dynamic, continuously emerging through negotiation and cooperation among the practices of these different actors in the governance of land and forest. Beyond land and forest governance, public authority is also produced through contestation between the KNU and customary institutions, particularly in the provision of public services. The legitimacy of the KNU is rooted in the “legal-rational” and “charismatic” legitimate authority, while customary Kaw’s legitimacy is based on traditional authority. Additionally, Christianization has gradually shifted the basis of customary Kaw governance legitimacy from spiritual to environmental or communal motivations. This thesis argues that public authority over land and forest governance in the SPP, particularly P’ Saw Lu village, is co-produced through negotiation, cooperation, and contestation between the KNU and customary Kaw institutions, reflecting a plural and evolving landscape of legitimacy. It suggests that KNU’s legitimacy is reinforced when its rules align with indigenous norms

Affects of air : A more-than-human study of atmospheres and sustainable development in bang kachao

Title: Affects of air : A more-than-human study of atmospheres and sustainable development in bang kachao

Author: Leonie Hueppe

Year: 2024

Keywords: urbanism, affective atmosphere, assemblage, sustainable development

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Post-development

Advisor(s): Jakkrit Sangkhamanee

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This paper investigates urban air as an agentic force shaping the relationship between Bangkok and Bang Kachao, its designated "green lung." Traditional sustainable development frameworks often overlook air's dynamic role, treating it as a passive environmental component rather than an active participant in urban ecologies. Drawing on ethnographic research in Bang Kachao, this study argues that an affective, more-than-human analysis of urban air provides crucial insights for rethinking sustainable urban development beyond anthropocentric paradigms. Employing an urban assemblage approach and the concept of affective atmospheres, the paper explores how the materializations of urban air — specifically heat, wind, and pollution — are co-constituted through human and non-human interactions. Findings highlight how residents' sensory attunements to the air’s materialization influence their daily routines and sense of belonging, while visitors' perceptions of Bang Kachao as an "atmospheric escape" underscore the contrasts in air quality and its socio-spatial implications. The paper critically assesses how prevailing policies and sustainable development projects in Bang Kachao often reflect anthropocentric and quantitative understandings of air and the environment, failing to acknowledge their relational agency. It proposes that sustainable urban development must integrate the qualitative, affective dimensions of the atmosphere, fostering a multispecies culture of care and responsiveness. Such an approach offers a more equitable and ecologically attuned pathway for urban planning, emphasizing the inherent interconnectedness between air, inhabitants, and governance

The ontological politics of waters in northern Thailand: a hydrosocial analysis of the Ing river basin

Title: The ontological politics of waters in northern Thailand: a hydrosocial analysis of the Ing river basin

Author: Mr.Thianchai Surimas

Year: 2023

Keywords: N/A

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Post-development

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middelton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Through a hydrosocial perspective, this research illustrates how political contestation between different networks of actors in the Ing River Basin produces different versions of water, which reflect divergent interests, different meanings and water ontologies that underpin the tensions and conflicts. This research employs ethnography to study networks of actors involved in water controversies and tensions over the hydraulic infrastructure project in the Ing River Basin. The network of project proponents, including a state-led hydraulic institution, experts, farmers, and other actors, see water as a source of economic activities due to its close association with modern irrigation schemes for rice-intensive and agricultural livelihoods. The project planners see water as a natural resource and reduce water to its materiality and physical dimensions. Water is tied with the idea of development that values large-scale infrastructure, and top-down bureaucratic management embodied scientific knowledge in controlling water, mainly for economic purposes. Meanwhile, project opponents, including civil society organizations, environmental NGOs, academic activists, and some community members, understand water as a living river and environmental water. Living river and environmental water are produced through the coproduction of knowledge research, ecological and environmental campaigns, ceremonial and traditional practices, sacred rivers, and alternative livelihoods, all of which position water outside of modernist ontology. Living river and environmental water are socially, environmentally, spiritually, religious and culturally embedded with water. So, water is more complex than and more than a resource for exploitation. The project proponent and project opponent networks need to enrol and maintain their relationship with the village, which bolsters the community's position in negotiation in the conflicts and contestations. Therefore, villagers' livelihoods and needs were a middle ground for both networks in contestation. However, local villagers' livelihoods need irrigation water and environmental water, so this middle-ground area needs to stabilize modern and nonmodern water. This paper argues that water-related conflicts and tension in the Ing River Basin are rooted in such ontological differences. The approaches can be used to understand and frame a better water policy

Power dynamics in environmental policy: a case of the Pasig river rehabilitation commission's dissolution

Title: Power dynamics in environmental policy: a case of the Pasig river rehabilitation commission's dissolution

Author: Maria Michaela Jazmines

Year: 2023

Keywords: Power Politics, Pasig River, Environmental Policy, Philippines

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Development Management, Civil society and Democracy

Advisor(s): Balazs Szanto

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: The Pasig River is located at the heart of Metro Manila and has been vital for trade, transportation, and livelihood. However, it became one of the most polluting rivers in the world due to rapid industrialization. The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) was established in 1999 to address this issue. The creation of the PRRC emphasized the state’s mandate to protect the right of the people to have a balanced ecology. However, the PRRC was dissolved in 2019 by former President Rodrigo Duterte stating that the river is “uncleanable.” Interestingly, the Pasig River Expressway was approved shortly after, suggesting an agenda shift from environmental conservation to infrastructure development.This thesis is rooted in an inquiry on how political leaders remain in power despite crafting policies that do not benefit the majority. The research looks into the dissolution of the PRRC as a case study to explore the influence of power politics on environmental policy in the Philippines. It uses de Mesquita and Smith’s three coalition theory which suggests that policy-making is influenced by the distribution of a country’s three coalitions. An imbalance in the composition may influence a government’s ability to provide good governance. A theory-testing methodology is used wherein data is collected through document analysis and interviews with key stakeholders. The thesis reveals that the PRRC’s dissolution was influenced by the need to secure support from influential groups that benefited from infrastructure projects like PAREX. The findings highlight how the power dynamics in the Philippines enabled political leaders to prioritize agendas that benefit a small powerful coalition even if it does not benefit the majority of the population. The case study demonstrates the principle of how good governance is not essential to a democratic government as leaders are able to satisfy a minor section of the population yet still remain in power. The research then provides possible strategies to tackle these cases such as political clamor and public protests. Ultimately, the study aims to provide insights into the mechanisms of policy-making in the Philippines. It offers a framework that can be applied to other development issues as well. The research contributes to the existing literature on power politics and environmental policy, particularly in the context of developing countries

Studying the Failure of Democratization in Myanmar from the Perspective of Electoral Politics

Title: Studying the Failure of Democratization in Myanmar from the Perspective of Electoral Politics

Author: Su Myat Noe

Year: 2022

Keywords: Myanmar, elections, military coup, democratization.

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Development Management, Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Balazs Szanto

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: This paper will examine the relations between elections and democratic transition in Myanmar after 2010. From 2011 until the coup in February 2021, Myanmar had elections to elect a government after decades of military rule. The elections led to the first civilian government to form a government in 2016. In the past ten years of democratization, there have been no significant election fraud or manipulations. However, the electoral system in Myanmar could not be a stabilizing and legitimate institution for democratic rule. Rather, it was ineffective in embedding democratic values in society and in limiting the authority of the military and civilian political elites. In this paper, the instance of Myanmar is placed within the context of democratization literature and the ways in which elections affect the costs of oppression and toleration between the ruling party and the opposition. This paper will analyze that even when free and fair elections are held, the democratic process can still fail if the elections cannot increase the costs of oppression and decrease the costs of toleration. It will explain that, despite generally free and fair elections in Myanmar prior to the coup in February 2021, they were unable to hold the powerful institutions accountable to the people and foster a situation where elites upheld democratic norms and exercised self-control.

Human Security of the Karen Community in Chiang Mai’s Forest Fires, Thailand

Title: Human Security of the Karen Community in Chiang Mai’s Forest Fires, Thailand

Author: Yukari Otsuka

Year: 2022

Keywords: N/A

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Civil society and Democracy, Post-development

Advisor(s): Naruemon Thabchumpon

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: When studying the human security of marginalized people such as indigenous people, they are generally interpreted as a focus that needs to be particularly protected. However, it differs in the context of natural disasters in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Karen people, one of the largest ethnic populations in Chiang Mai, are subsistent farmers who use fires as a life tool and are often blamed as the cause of forest fires. As one kind of natural disaster, forest fires are a common occurrence in Northern Thailand every dry season. Chiang Mai is one of the significant provinces in Thailand with the eighth population and experiences devasting forest fires. To solve the issues of forest fires and associated air pollution, the government implemented a non-burning policy that impacts the farming procedures of the Karen community and their entire human security situation. This research applies a qualitative method and utilizes a case study of the devastating forest fires in Chiang Mai in 2020. Through semi-structured interviews with Karen villagers (n=15) in Chiang Mai with the aid of a research assistant, this research aims to assess the human security situation of the Karen community facing forest fires. This research explores forest fires’ impacts on the Karen community through a Human Security lens. This research also examines conditions and factors that affect human security situations and vulnerability and capability that impact the Karen community. This research finds that the policy executed without arranging and preparing a counterplan with Karen farmers who are “citizens” directly affected the entire Karen community in Chiang Mai. This research concludes that this political insecurity hugely affected the entire human security of the Karen community facing forest fires, especially food and health security. This research, therefore, argues that the capability of the Karen community to enhance their human security situation is limited by political insecurities and ethical discrimination.

A study of sustainability in the energy sector in Myanmar between 2011 and 2020

Title: A study of sustainability in the energy sector in Myanmar between 2011 and 2020

Author: Clara Mang Sui Tang

Year: 2021

Keywords: Energy security, Energy policy, Environmental policy, Energy Tariffs, Myanmar

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Development Management, Civil society and Democracy

Advisor(s): Balazs Szanto

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: In modern society, energy becomes a life supporting mechanism, as it is not only entangled with the environment pillar of sustainable development, but also inseparably related to the economic and social pillars of society. Taking advantage of a qualitative research method, this study critically examines the level of sustainability of Myanmar’s energy sector between 2011 and 2020, using 2011 as a baseline, by observing three critical components: energy security, environmental considerations in energy production and securing financial health for the sector.Energy security, possessing uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price, is studied from available macro secondary data in conjunction with an analysis of existing energy policies. The study concludes that, although the two successive Myanmar’s Union governments were able to generate and import energy to meet its soaring demand and maintain its energy security, it still fell short to improve energy security during the studied period.This thesis finds that environmental policy integration in the energy sector at the Union level is the most vibrant among the three components. Although there is still a long journey to undertake to meet international standards, the country was able to graduate from “traditional” environmental management and transitioned into a sound streamlined environmental safeguarding mechanism in the sector.Furthermore, the examination of Myanmar’s energy sector financial health in this study reflects the vital role energy tariffs play in the sustainability of a market economy. Although the two successive governments were able to raise electricity tariffs twice during the studied period, which new tariffs resulted in some improvement in the energy sector’s financial health, the sector still needs massive subsidies from the Union’s budget. This insecure financial health has impacted the sector’s productivity and functionality, but it also has a negative effect on the country’s wider socio-economic development, specifically affecting those who do not have access to modern electricity.Although this study does not find current satisfactory trends in any of the three studied components, it notes the improvements that the country was able to make especially considering the starting point of the journey - newly transitioning into a semi-democratic society from a military dictatorship. The study also provides pragmatic recommendations for the sector’s sustainability based on its research. By observing the energy sector from a bird’s eye view, this paper intends to initiate a deeper understanding of sustainability in Myanmar’s energy sector and potentially offer new premises and contentions for further debate on the subject

Policy engagements for a just decarbonisation : China’s 2060 carbon neutrality pledge’s ramifications on the coal industry workforce in Shanxi

Title: Policy engagements for a just decarbonisation : China’s 2060 carbon neutrality pledge’s ramifications on the coal industry workforce in Shanxi

Author: Lucile Charriaut

Year: 2020

Keywords: Just decarbonisation, Environmental justice, Coal workers, Carbon, neutrality, Policy support

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Social Welfare, Development Management

Advisor(s): Carl Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: To achieve its ambitious carbon neutrality pledge by 2060, China, whose energy mix is still largely dominated by coal, must progressively phase out coal-fired power plants. Being highly polluting, coal is no longer perceived as suitable to promote a sustainable, clean, and long-standing economy. Shanxi, a landlocked northern province, is considered one of China’s most coal-dependent provinces and accounts for a colossal coal workforce depending on the industry. Such a transition will, therefore, considerably alter the economic prospects and labour relations of this province. Considering the inevitability to lay off coal workers, the objective of this thesis is to determine how just China’s policies are in the context of Shanxi’s decarbonisation and the impacts of the transition on coal workers. Specifically, it examines if Shanxi will lead a ‘just decarbonisation’, emphasising a just transition in industries to be decarbonised with respect to the right to decent work.To answer the main research question, this thesis conducted a qualitative content analysis of available policy documents that support coal workers in Shanxi, as well as semi-structured interviews with experts of China’s environmental policies. The analysis closely examined the formulation of support policies to determine whether they are mentioning keywords in alignment with the just decarbonisation concept. Through a human rights-based approach, the concept of environmental justice, and the political concept of fragmented authoritarianism, this paper found that numerous policies are available to support coal workers throughout unemployment and re-employment. These results suggest that different needs and employment difficulties are identified and highly recognised in the formulation of policy documents. Nevertheless, aspects of procedural justice, involving the use of participatory approaches, were the least retrieved in the policy analysis in consideration of China’s top-down bureaucratic structure. The thesis concludes that within various relevant policies, numerous measures are available to ensure a just decarbonisation, although the challenge of their successful implementation is not yet assured.

Can offshore wind electricity in Taiwan be sustainable?: the case of Taiwan's first offshore wind project, Formosa 1 in Miaoli

Title: Can offshore wind electricity in Taiwan be sustainable?: the case of Taiwan's first offshore wind project, Formosa 1 in Miaoli

Author: Yu Ju Lin

Year: 2019

Keywords: Sustainability, Renewable Energy, Offshore wind, Taiwan, Formosa 1

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Development Management, Innovation for Inclusive Development

Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: While sustainability is implementing all over the world to strive to balance the development and environment, Taiwan is also committed to the transition towards renewable energy, and offshore wind electricity is one of the emerging industries with potential, therefore taking its newly operated project as a case study. The purpose of the research is to determine whether offshore wind electricity is a viable solution to achieve inclusive sustainability in Taiwan and the concept of procedural justice is involving to examine the planning and construction stages of the development while environmental justice is applied to evaluate the overall outcome from the perspective of the affected community. As a qualitative research, the thesis conducted two-month fieldwork in Miaoli County, where the coastal fishing area is the site of the country’s first and only wind farm, Formosa 1 which started commercial operations in December 2019, with interviewees including fishers, members of fishery association, government officials, and scholars. The result shows the polarized reaction of the main affected group, the fisher, to the construction owning to the difference in the degree of influence on the two main fishing methods in the area, “gillnetting” and “pole and line”. A small group of the fisher felt unjust while the other recognized the value of the offshore wind project. On the other hand, despite varying degrees, when procedural justice was sought to reduce the losses during the process and the consensus on the outcome was discussed to maximize the long-term gains, environmental justice was actively balanced in the project. Being one of the pioneer academic research to review the case after its completion, this paper concludes that, as Taiwan’s first offshore wind project, Formosa 1 did not fully convince everyone with its sustainability, but with the experiences, it did pave a relatively smooth way for the future development towards sustainability

Particulate matter 2.5 : a case study of measures and risks in Bangkok during early 2019

Title: Particulate matter 2.5 : a case study of measures and risks in Bangkok during early 2019

Author: Thanabodee Lekprayura

Year: 2018

Keywords: Inequality, Environmental Measures, Air Pollution, Particulate Matter 2.5,, Distributional Impacts

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Health, Disaster and Crisis Management

Advisor(s): Jakkrit Sangkhamanee

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: The increased presence of particulate matter is caused by a multiplicity of factors, such as economic development, environmental degradation, and social inequality. During the first quarter of 2019, Bangkok was covered with a large amount of fine particle, known as PM2.5. Many Bangkok residents were affected, particularly in terms of their health and income. The Thai government has announced measures to cope with the problem. However, the most effective measures should not only decrease the level of particles, but should also be able to address the impacts on risk-prone groups. In this context, the vulnerable groups seem to be those placed in a marginalized position, while they are also the group that tends to be most impacted. The objective of the study aims to understand the relationship between the state measures and the multiplicity of risks among the vulnerable groups in Bangkok. In order to comprehend the complexity of the issue, this study utilizes a transdisciplinary approach to highlight the politics of government measures for different stakeholders. It analyzes the case of PM2.5 in Bangkok during 2019 through the conceptual lens of risk society and environmental inequality. The research combines different methodologies including non-participatory observation, in-depth interviews with various types of samples, and documentary research. The study found that the majority of PM2.5 in Bangkok has occurred as a result of transportation activities. Most of the measures implemented by the state in response, however, were short-term solutions that focused on limiting activities in the industrial and construction sectors, rather than pursuing long-term solutions such as improving engine and fuel standards. Among the vulnerable groups, it is found that there are many factors causing their exposure to the impact of PM2.5. These factors are: economic condition, ineffectiveness of measures in regard to economic and social dependency, cost of protection, area of state service, availability of safe accommodation, and the ability to access services and sources of necessary information.

Explaining barriers and opportunities for recycled pet for food packaging in Thailand through the lenses of organizational environment theory

Title: Explaining barriers and opportunities for recycled pet for food packaging in Thailand through the lenses of organizational environment theory

Author: Natawadee Sirithorn

Year: 2018

Keywords: rPET, Business behavior, Recycled food packaging

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Innovation for Inclusive Development, Development Management

Advisor(s): Carl Middleton

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Currently, some plastic-related companies propose a solution of recycled plastic (rPET) for food packaging as a solution for the plastic problem in Thailand. Therefore, the objective of the thesis is to study business behavior in order to understand the rationale of why some company needs to use rPET for food packaging. This study combined two theories which are the organizational environment theory and the institutional theory of CSR to analyze the effect of the internal and the external environment that influence companies to support rPET food packaging.The finding indicates that companies’ mission creates an influence on companies to promote rPET for food packaging in Thailand, especially for global companies. Global companies usually have a clear mission to show responsibility to the plastic problem in any country they are operating. Global companies mostly produce and use massive plastic packaging, making them receive more social pressure than local companies. In terms of the external environment, findings reveal the combination between the availability of financial resources and feedstock of post-consumer PET bottle that influence plastic producers to change or resist to change to rPET production. rPET is new in Thailand, and the country has poor waste segregation system. The market of rPET packaging and the feedstock of post-consumer PET bottles are also limited. It is not easy for some producer to produce rPET food packaging. This can be explained by the second factor which is recycling technology for rPET packaging. For the company who have no recycling technology for food-grade rPET, they need technological investment which requires a huge investment. If there is no clear market for rPET packaging and enough feedstock of post-consumer PET bottle, they would not dare to take a risk in investing in the new technology. Also, if any company which does not have a headquarters mission or receive high pressure from NGOs, it is unlikely for them to change from virgin plastic to rPET which has a higher production cost as well.

Who Governs the Wasteland? Bangkok’s Informal Recycling Sector in Urban Waste Management

Title: Who Governs the Wasteland? Bangkok’s Informal Recycling Sector in Urban Waste Management

Author: Vanessa Hongsathavij

Year: 2017

Keywords: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, RECYCLING, INFORMALITY, INFORMAL SECTOR, BANGKOK, THAILAND

Themes: Environmental Politics and Policy, Development Management, Social Welfare

Advisor(s): Surichai Wungaeo, advisor, Rosalia Sciortino, co-advisor

The full thesis available here.

Abstract: Amidst rapid population growth and urbanization, municipalities confront many challenges posed by waste generation, and its subsequent collection and disposal. In light of these challenges, an integrated solid waste management has emerged as an alternative and more holistic approach to tackling waste challenges, including a more serious consideration of power dynamics and relationships between different actors and interests. Integrated solid waste management in developing countries further reveals an active informal sector and various practices of informality in resource recovery and recycling. Yet, it remains unclear if solid waste management systems can further integrate the informal sector in such a way that will promote co-benefits in the form of more economic efficiency, less environmental pollution and higher recycling rates, and greater livelihood and social equity, particularly for those employed in the informal sector. This thesis examines the politics of urban governance and development through the case of solid waste management in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand. It employs a discourse analysis to discern the power relations embedded within the discourses around informality, particularly in terms of who benefits and loses within the city’s solid waste management system and practices. This study primarily draws its data from 17 in-depth, unstructured interviews with waste actors in Bangkok from national and local governments, private companies, international organizations, NGOs, academics, media, and the informal recycling sector. The central finding from this study shows how informal practices and waste actors operate under a liberal economic logic in which waste is principally redefined from a problem into a resource and in which the informal sector plays a critical role in rendering waste into an economically valuable good