Understanding the Gendered Experiences of Grief With Respect to Environmental Degradation in Bocas del Toro, Panama
Open Access
- Author:
- Lister, Alexandra
- Area of Honors:
- Geography
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Brian H. King, Thesis Supervisor
Christopher Stiles Fowler, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Feminist Political Ecology
Justice
Latin America
Geography
Grief
Environmental degradation
Eco-grief - Abstract:
- The pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs of Bocas del Toro, Panama have long provided both sustenance and income for the region’s inhabitants. However, in recent decades, a combination of environmental degradation and rapid tourism development has threatened the livelihoods of these ocean dependent communities, making them vulnerable to environmental disasters and shocks. Marginalized people, particularly women, are affected disproportionately by these stressors, as the livelihoods of women tend to be more dependent on natural resources. Grief is often used as a measure of loss in these contexts, as grief captures hardship in terms that are broader than purely economic. There exists a knowledge gap on the gendered experiences of grief with respect to ocean degradation in vulnerable communities affected negatively by rapid tourism development. It is important to understand these gendered experiences so that policy and local governments can help support the diverse needs of residents in Bocas del Toro and elsewhere; ultimately promoting ocean and gender equity. The impetus for this project was a desire to understand how grief related to environmental degradation varies by gender, location, and a variety of other socio-economic factors in the Bocas del Toro region. Surveys and semi structured interviews were conducted with 58 residents across six island communities within the archipelago. Although survey data revealed little statistical significance between men and women’s experiences of grief, semi-structured interview data show that a combination of gender, island residence culture, and distance from Bocas Town, the central tourism hub, shapes the effects of environmental degradation experienced by residents. These factors ultimately create variations of experience between groups of women, and they also create gender-specific experiences of grief with respect to environmental degradation between women and men. For example, women who interact more directly with tourism do not feel as though they can make a positive impact, leading them to experience feelings of hopelessness. In contrast, women residing in Indigenous communities further away from tourism have stronger community structures and note that they are making notable impacts to reduce degradation, leading to feelings of hope and resilience. Future research should focus on women’s experiences and use methods such as storytelling and body mapping to develop deeper understandings of how experiences of grief differ across women in Bocas del Toro.