Sajal Roy Bücher

Empowerment serves as a comprehensive strategy against domestic violence in rural Bangladesh, as explored throughout the book. The initial chapter outlines foundational concepts and relevant literature, while the second discusses the qualitative methodology and sample size. Subsequent chapters examine the current state of domestic violence, the role of local institutions in empowerment, and the contributions of various stakeholders in combating this issue. The concluding chapter summarizes findings and offers recommendations for future action.

The narrative delves into the impact of Cyclone Aila in 2009, highlighting how climate change affected the rural livelihoods and gender dynamics of two distinct communities—Munda, an indigenous group, and Shora, a Muslim community—living near the Sundarbans Forest in Bangladesh. Through this exploration, the book sheds light on the intersection of environmental disaster and social structures, revealing the vulnerabilities and resilience of these ethnically diverse groups in the face of climate challenges.

This book explores gendered perceptions of the Sundarbans Forest in Bangladesh, and the extent to which these perceptions are affected by extreme weather events (specifically, cyclones Aila and Sidr). Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Shora, a rural village in southern Satkhira, Bangladesh, the book explores gendered activities in the forest, especially women’s interaction with the forest resources. The findings present a clear picture of the Shora community’s local knowledge about the Sundarbans Forest, as well as the ecological and economic contributions for the forest people. The book makes a timely contribution to the wider study of gender, post-cyclone recovery, ecology and resilience.