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Nathen Menard (Sociology major)
"Hidden but Not Forgotten: The Potential of Raising the Life-Chances of Environmental Refugee Women through Grassroots Non-Governmental Organizations"
Sponsor: Thomas Gold, Sociology
Project Description
Lying hidden between the better discussed consequences of environmental degradation and destruction of the 21st century is an equal pressing issue that is receiving little attention: environmental refugee women. Grassroots Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have recently begun making concerted efforts to address issues of environmental refugee women, yet little research has been done to assess their effectiveness. Nathen's research will address this gap in knowledge by engaging with NGOs in China, India, and Nicaragua. Nathen will spend time in the field observing the NGO and their projects and also conducting in-depth interviews with NGO personnel and NGO project participants. He hopes that the findings of this research provide policy makers, donors, and environmental NGOs and their participants with the knowledge necessary to address these issues more effectively.
Scholar's Photo
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Nathen standing in front of Mujeres in Accion (Women in Action) in Managua, Nicaragua. Women in Action is a non-profit run by a group of environmentally displaced women who are working together towards a better tomorrow by providing education, job skill training, and financial and emotional support for one another. |
Scholar's Journal
The end of summer has arrived and the rollercoaster that was my research period has come to a dead stop. I learned a lot in the field this summer, though not all of it was related directly to my research topic. My first lesson came from India, where I learned that cultural differences can lead to a slew of problems in the field. In the region of India that I was visiting, the way they conduct interviews was slightly different than my plan of action -- oh, who am I kidding, it was 180 degrees opposite of the way I planned to conduct research to meet CPHS guidelines and my own goals for the quality of data collected from my informants. The way I envisioned my research being conducted (methodically and moderately paced to maximize understanding) and the way it was conducted (breakneck speed with no chance to even remotely consider what I was hearing and absorbing around every corner) made for a VERY interesting, challenging, and downright frustrating research experience at times. However, I made it through it, and I can honestly say that I am the better for it. I thank my friends in India for providing me with a glimpse of the fast-paced lives that they all lead - a fast-paced life which requires innovation and quick thought around every bend in the road of life.
After a short layover period I arrived in Nicaragua in July and I faired much better with my research. It should be said that in Nicaragua I had the benefit of researching an organization that I am proud to say I have visited in the past frequently, providing me with a good understanding of what to expect and how to go about conducting research, giving me a decided advantage over the fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants research in India. I also had the pleasure of interviewing and getting to know better many of the women that work with the organization, women that I am proud to call friends after working with them side-by-side over the years. All the women were very willing to sit down at any moment to be interviewed, to pull me aside and volunteer information as it came to them, and to provide me with every opportunity to advance my understanding of their organization and what they are doing today, and what they are working toward in the future. Nicaragua is like a second home to me at times, and it was nice to return "home" and see all those women that have touched my life throughout the last few years.
With these two organizations and experiences behind me, I look forward to a semester of hitting the books to learn more about what others have to say about my topic. I am also eager for Winter Break to arrive so that I can make the trek to New Orleans, where a new field research adventure unlike the other two no doubt awaits me.
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