<p>The Central American population consists of a majority of indigenous people and the parties to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) must strive to protect the culture, heritage and rights of the region&rsquo;s people. Trade agreements must recognize the rights of the indigenous peoples that are affected by environmental degradation resulting from trade activities, which can result in the forceful removal of their lands. The balance between the three pillars of sustainable development must be struck because international trade is necessary by fueling much of the economic growth in the developed world. Public engagement of the indigenous people through participation, information, consultation and consent are necessary to fulfill the goals of sustainable development and protect their right to property and traditional lands. We have to continue to incorporate the objectives of sustainable development in free trade agreements in order to preserve the global environment for future generations. </p>

For generations of Mi’kmaq from Pictou Landing First Nation, A’se’k (often referred to as Boat Harbour) provided cultural, recreation, and livelihood functions. For almost 50 years, this once-healthy tidal estuary has been receiving effluent from a nearby bleached kraft pulp mill. This study was carried out in partnership with the Pictou Landing Native Women’s Association, and sought to collect stories of A’se’k from Knowledge Holders who remember it as a healthy, thriving, culturally significant community place. Using a narrative approach of restorying, the historical importance of and changes to A’se’k are illuminated through the voices of Mi’kmaq who have lived the experiences. Their stories further highlight the ongoing environmental, health, and social injustices faced by Indigenous peoples, shaped by the many complex dimensions of colonialism and racism in Canada. Through a reflexive examination of my experiences as a non-Indigenous graduate student navigating the research landscape, this study also highlights a process of learning to be an ally alongside Indigenous partners. Together, these findings suggest the need to restory Canada’s (ongoing) colonial legacy, through community-based processes, in order to move towards ending colonial structures.

The quest for sustainable development has always involved the complex task of reconciling the need for socio-economic development with public health and environmental protection. This challenge has often emerged in the trade and environment debate but has most recently been evident in international trade in used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE). While international trade in UEEE provides means for socio-economic development in the developing world, it also serves as a conduit for transboundary dumping of e-waste in the developing world giving rise to serious health and environmental concerns. This research investigates the socio-economic as well as health and environmental impacts of international trade in UEEE in two developing countries – Nigeria and Ghana. The research identifies a major loophole in the existing international legal framework as the primary factor responsible for e-waste dumping in the developing world. This loophole relates to the absence of a legal framework for differentiating between functional UEEE and junk e-waste. This has resulted in both functional UEEE and junk e-waste being concurrently shipped to the developing world as “used electrical and electronic equipment”. The research proposes two policy frameworks for addressing this problem. On the part of developing countries, the research proposes a trade policy framework crafted in line with WTO rules. This framework will entail the development of an international certification system which will serve to differentiate functional used electronics from junk e-waste. While the former may be eligible for import, the research proposes an import ban on the latter. On the part of developed countries, the research proposes the development of a policy framework which regulates the toxic and hazardous substances that go into the production of electrical and electronic equipment as well as enhance their reusability and recyclability at end-of-life. The framework should take into consideration the entire life cycle of the products from the design stage to end-of-life. The research argues that the implementation of this design framework will go a long way in reducing the health and environmental impacts of such equipment when subsequently shipped to the developing world at end-of-life.

This thesis investigates marginalisation in small-scale fishing communities in Chilika Lagoon engaged in customary capture fisheries. However, the Lagoon has undergone tremendous changes in recent decades, impacting the social, cultural, economic, political and environmental life, and resulting in fishers’ disconnection and marginalisation. The study explores what marginalisation looks like from the fishers’ point of view, and attempts to explain the processes and drivers responsible for change in Chilika social-ecological system, and the implications of this change, with four areas for analysis: 1) historical and political background to the processes of change in Chilika Lagoon fisheries; 2) the challenges from external drivers to fishery commons and the need to understand commons as a process; 3) impacts of social-ecological change from a livelihood perspective, including how the fishers dealt with livelihood crisis through various strategies; 4) institutional processes and their implications for fishers’ marginalization. Using evidence collected through household- and village-level surveys, combined with various qualitative and participatory research methods over 28 months, the study shows that there are two major driving forces or drivers of marginalisation: (1) the role of aquaculture development in the loss of resource access rights and the decline of local institutions, and (2) the ecological displacement and livelihood loss brought about by the opening of a new “sea mouth” connecting the Lagoon and the Bay of Bengal. There exist a paradox of the official account and fishers’ own view of marginalisation. Chilika is a clear case in which government policies have encouraged de facto privatisation. The dynamic nature and fluctuations associated with commons development make it imperative to understand commons as a process that includes commonisation and decommonisation. Out-migration has emerged as a key livelihood strategy resulting in occupational displacement for one-third of the adult fishers, and such livelihood strategies have led to their disconnection and marginalisation. The fishers’ point of view presents a more complex, multidimensional concept of marginalisation, not simply as a state of being but as a process over time, impacting social and economic conditions, political standing, and environmental health.

The study involved Indigenous communities of Saskatchewan and Alberta which are adversely impacted by industrial activities in their traditional territory. The overall goal of this study is: the assessment of social media in risk studies among Indigenous communities of western Canada. The methods used were: interviews, focus group discussion (FGD), and net-mapping. Results showed that the majority of youths communicated around risk using new social media (NSM) in event of risk outbreak, while Indigenous Elders, communicated face-to-face and via cell-phone. Results also showed that youths use Traditional Knowledge learnt from the Elders to understand Chronic wasting disease (CWD) risk, interpret, communicate and mobilize around mitigation. The study concluded that the use of NSM is becoming increasingly important for scoping information around wildlife decline and emergency in these Indigenous communities.

The quest for sustainable development has always involved the complex task of reconciling the need for socio-economic development with public health and environmental protection. This challenge has often emerged in the trade and environment debate but has most recently been evident in international trade in used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE). While international trade in UEEE provides means for socio-economic development in the developing world, it also serves as a conduit for transboundary dumping of e-waste in the developing world giving rise to serious health and environmental concerns. This research investigates the socio-economic as well as health and environmental impacts of international trade in UEEE in two developing countries – Nigeria and Ghana. The research identifies a major loophole in the existing international legal framework as the primary factor responsible for e-waste dumping in the developing world. This loophole relates to the absence of a legal framework for differentiating between functional UEEE and junk e-waste. This has resulted in both functional UEEE and junk e-waste being concurrently shipped to the developing world as “used electrical and electronic equipment”. The research proposes two policy frameworks for addressing this problem. On the part of developing countries, the research proposes a trade policy framework crafted in line with WTO rules. This framework will entail the development of an international certification system which will serve to differentiate functional used electronics from junk e-waste. While the former may be eligible for import, the research proposes an import ban on the latter. On the part of developed countries, the research proposes the development of a policy framework which regulates the toxic and hazardous substances that go into the production of electrical and electronic equipment as well as enhance their reusability and recyclability at end-of-life. The framework should take into consideration the entire life cycle of the products from the design stage to end-of-life. The research argues that the implementation of this design framework will go a long way in reducing the health and environmental impacts of such equipment when subsequently shipped to the developing world at end-of-life.

This thesis investigates marginalisation in small-scale fishing communities in Chilika Lagoon engaged in customary capture fisheries. However, the Lagoon has undergone tremendous changes in recent decades, impacting the social, cultural, economic, political and environmental life, and resulting in fishers’ disconnection and marginalisation. The study explores what marginalisation looks like from the fishers’ point of view, and attempts to explain the processes and drivers responsible for change in Chilika social-ecological system, and the implications of this change, with four areas for analysis: 1) historical and political background to the processes of change in Chilika Lagoon fisheries; 2) the challenges from external drivers to fishery commons and the need to understand commons as a process; 3) impacts of social-ecological change from a livelihood perspective, including how the fishers dealt with livelihood crisis through various strategies; 4) institutional processes and their implications for fishers’ marginalization. Using evidence collected through household- and village-level surveys, combined with various qualitative and participatory research methods over 28 months, the study shows that there are two major driving forces or drivers of marginalisation: (1) the role of aquaculture development in the loss of resource access rights and the decline of local institutions, and (2) the ecological displacement and livelihood loss brought about by the opening of a new “sea mouth” connecting the Lagoon and the Bay of Bengal. There exist a paradox of the official account and fishers’ own view of marginalisation. Chilika is a clear case in which government policies have encouraged de facto privatisation. The dynamic nature and fluctuations associated with commons development make it imperative to understand commons as a process that includes commonisation and decommonisation. Out-migration has emerged as a key livelihood strategy resulting in occupational displacement for one-third of the adult fishers, and such livelihood strategies have led to their disconnection and marginalisation. The fishers’ point of view presents a more complex, multidimensional concept of marginalisation, not simply as a state of being but as a process over time, impacting social and economic conditions, political standing, and environmental health.

Thesis -- Departmental honors in Philosophy. / Bibliography: ℓ. 84-88.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Title from t.p. of PDF file (viewed April 9, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-75).

Thesis (M.A.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-75).