Recent decades have marked growing academic and scientific attention to the role of indigenous knowledge in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and detection strategies. However, how indigenous knowledge is incorporated is a point of contention between self-identifying indigenous groups and existing institutions which combat climate change. In this thesis, I argue that the full inclusion of indigenous knowledge is deterred by certain aspects of modernity. In order to overcome the problems of modernity, I argue that a recognition theory of justice is needed as it regards to indigenous knowledge. Recognition justice calls for indigenous groups to retain meaningful control over how and when their indigenous knowledge is shared. To supplement this, I use the Marshall Islands as a case study. The Marshall Islands afford a nice particular case because of their longstanding colonial relationship with the United States and the impending danger they face of rising sea levels. Despite this danger, the Republic of the Marshall Islands calls for increased recognition as leaders in addressing climate change.

[pt] A presente tese de pesquisa doutoral estará alicerçada no conceito tridimensional de justiça desenvolvido pela filósofa contemporânea da teoria crítica - Nancy Fraser. O objetivo é investigar os impactos que o Programa Bolsa Família - PBF - gerou na diminuição das desigualdades sociais na vida das famílias beneficiárias quanto aos aspectos da redistribuição, do reconhecimento e da participação paritária. Realizamos análise bibliográfica das pesquisas feitas sobre o Programa Bolsa Família do ano de 2003 a 2014. O percurso teórico desta tese buscou o aprofundamento dos conceitos de pobreza e de exclusão social, a análise do processo de desenvolvimento brasileiro e das políticas públicas para o enfrentamento das desigualdades sociais nas décadas de 60 a 90, focalizando também a experiência da transição democrática pós-Constituição Federal de 1988. Levamos em consideração os princípios constitucionais de 1988 e os tratados internacionais que respaldam a responsabilidade do Estado e da sociedade brasileira para a implantação de políticas sociais como o Programa Bolsa Família. Concluímos que o PBF produziu resultados importantes na vida dos beneficiários, garantindo a justiça redistributiva e de reconhecimento e potencializando essas pessoas para a paridade participativa como sujeitos integrais na sociedade. Reconhecemos o avanço do desenho institucional da política social brasileira, proporcionado pelo PBF, inaugurando assim um novo modelo de proteção social, capaz de identificar a vulnerabilidade social das famílias brasileiras em situação de pobreza e de articular a redistribuição de renda e o reconhecimento, por meio do Sistema Único da Assistência Social - Suas. / [en] This doctoral research thesis is founded on the three-dimensional concept of justice developed by contemporary philosopher of critical theory Nancy Fraser. The objective is to investigate the impact that the Bolsa Família Program (PBF) generated in the reduction of social inequalities in the lives of beneficiary families considering aspects of redistribution, recognition and equal participation. An literature review of research was conducted on the Bolsa Família Program from 2003 to 2014. The theoretical path of this thesis aimed the investigation of the concepts of poverty and social exclusion, the analysis of the Brazilian development process and the public policies for dealing with social inequalities from the 60 s to the 90 s also focusing on the democratic transition experience post-constitution of 1988. We took into account the constitutional principles of 1988 and international treaties that support the responsibility of the Brazilian State and society to the implementation of social policies such as the Bolsa Família Program. We concluded that the PBF produced important results in the lives of the beneficiaries, ensuring redistributive and recognition justice, empowering those people to participatory parity as integral individuals in society. We recognize the progress of the institutional design of the Brazilian social policy, provided by the PBF, starting a new model of social protection, able to identify the social vulnerability of the Brazilian families in state of poverty and to articulate the redistribution of income and the recognition by the Single Social Assistance System - Suas.