CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Nawaz, Abdul Rehman |
|---|---|
| Title | Faith, Survival, and Mobility: A Q Study on How Farmers Perceive Climate Change in Rural Pakistan |
| Summary | Despite the growing threat of climate change, adaptation remains fragmented, particularly in the Global South. In Pakistan, where farmers face compounding risks of food insecurity and environmental challenges, migration has become an increasingly important question of discussion. However, migration decisions are influenced by farmers’ perceptions of risk and adaptation. The current study investigates farmers’ perspectives of climate change in the Dera Ghazi Khan district of Punjab. Using Q methodology, I examine how farmers, with and without migration experience, perceive the causes and effects of climate change and adaptation strategies. A set of 48 statements was sorted by 30 farmers, resulting in six distinct discourses in the full sample and four unique perspectives within migration and non-migration subsamples. The full sample revealed: Realists, who reject fatalism and acknowledge observable climate change; Fatalists, who recognize risks but doubt institutional capacity; Faithful, who view impacts through spiritual belief; Skeptics, who mix moral reasoning with adaptation pessimism; Apathetic, who show practical concern but low agency; and Optimists, who express strong confidence in state and technological solutions. Farmers who have migration experiences in the family demonstrated more pluralistic perspectives, such as the Dualists, who hold simultaneous belief in divine control and human causality; Realists, who align with scientific understanding but reject false optimism; Resilient, who accept divine influence but pursue practical coping strategies; and Optimists, who focus on institutional support. In contrast, the non-migration subsample included Realists I, who endorse anthropogenic causes of climate change; Believers, who emphasize economic loss and pragmatic adaptation; Cautious, who recognize degradation and adopt limited adaptation; and Realists II, who support scientific explanations. Identifying heterogeneity in farmers’ views is essential for designing more targeted adaptation policies that reflect the diverse ways farmers respond to climate change, rather than relying on uniform, top-down approaches. |
| Supervisor | Botetzagias, Iosif; Nadeem, Imran |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/nawaz_abdul-rehman.pdf |
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