PhD Defence by Maria Fernanda Morales Camacho

Her research examines how Costa Rican artisanal fishers perceive and experience climate change, and how they adapt to its impacts in daily life. 

Through a qualitative study framed by the concepts of vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation, the research uncovers that, contrary to mainstream assumptions, climate change is not always seen as a top priority among artisanal fishers. Instead, their immediate concerns often revolve around more pressing structural issues, including poverty, inequality, and political marginalization. 

This thesis argues that adaptation cannot be approached as a monolithic or purely technical concept, disconnected from historical, social, political, and cultural contexts. Rather, it must be understood in relation to the complex realities of local communities, where adaptation strategies are shaped by everyday struggles, resource constraints, and long-standing neglect of the artisanal fishing sector in national development policy.

Doctoral Board

Chair

Professor Ruard Ganzevoort

Doctoral dissertation supervisors

• Professor Murat Arsel
• Professor Lorenzo Pellegrini 

Full Doctoral Committee

• Professor Carlos Mena, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
• Dr. Alonso Ramirez Cover, University of Costa Rica
• Professor Maarten Bavinck, University of Amsterdam
• Professor Wendy Harcourt
• Professor Thea Hilhorst