Climate Adaptation: Through the Lens of Bourdieu's Field and Capital

Abstract

The ever changing climate highlights the importance of researching how society has to change in order to adapt to the growing climate related problems. These climate adaptation measures are complex for they require cooperation between many different stakeholders and are closely related to a specific social context. This research looks at Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of field and capital to influence people's actions (their habitus) to increase the willingness to participate in climate adaptation measures by comparing the differences in opinions of the farming sector and governmental institutions. Through the means of a literature study and surveys two main conclusions can be drawn. First, external factors such as rainfall and drought change the field and can therefore be a motive behind a changing mind-set and second, even though individuals may want to participate in adaptation measures, the lack of resources they have at their disposal can hold them back.