Maryann Bylander
Depending on the Sky: Environmental Distress, Migration, and Coping in Rural Cambodia
Bylander, Maryann
Authors
Abstract
Increasingly, research seeks to understand how environmental distress motivates migration, often focusing on the importance of singular events such as flood, drought or crop loss. This article explores the case of a Cambodian community where environmental shocks have been frequent over the past decade and international migration has increased. It shows that as a result of recurring and varied environmental shocks, households increasingly perceive agriculture-based livelihood strategies as unwise and risky. This perception is widespread even among households not directly experiencing income loss. As a result, households use migration as a replacement for local livelihood strategies. These findings support two arguments relevant for future research and policy. First, that environmental shocks have importance beyond their immediate, direct impact. Second, that recurring shocks can influence preferences for and risk perceptions of local investments. Thus for policies to effectively address environmental vulnerability and/or rural development in precarious environments, they must incorporate local understandings of risk and possibility.
Citation
Bylander, M. (2015). Depending on the Sky: Environmental Distress, Migration, and Coping in Rural Cambodia. International Migration, 53(5), 135-147. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12087
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Publication Date | Oct 1, 2015 |
Deposit Date | Jun 21, 2013 |
Journal | International Migration |
Print ISSN | 0020-7985 |
Electronic ISSN | 1468-2435 |
Publisher | Wiley |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 53 |
Issue | 5 |
Pages | 135-147 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12087 |
Publisher URL | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imig.12087/abstract |
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