Transformation as praxis: responding to climate change uncertainties in marginal environments in South Asia

This paper provides some of the conceptual and methodological underpinnings being developed in the ongoing TAPESTRY project which is part of the Transformations to Sustainability (T2S) Programme. We debate how the notion of transformation may be conceptualized from 'below' in marginal environments that are especially marked by high levels of climate-related uncertainties. We propose the notion of transformation as praxis - where the focus is on bottom-up change, identities, wellbeing and the recovery of agency by marginalized people and explore how 'patches' and the 'marginal' offer critical conceptual templates to examine whether and how systemic transformative changes are being assembled and effected on the ground by hybrid and transformative alliances. The article concludes by discussing potential challenges of such engagements, alongside pursuing a normative and political approach to T2S. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

This paper discusses how transformation can be conceptualized from the bottom up in marginal environments with high levels of climate-related uncertainties, focusing on bottom-up change, identities, wellbeing, and the recovery of agency by marginalized people. It concludes by examining potential challenges of such engagements and emphasizes a normative and political approach to Transformations to Sustainability.