Adapting to Climate Change in Dhaka: The Role of Social Capital

This thesis seeks to confront the question: how can social capital theory be applied to improve climate change adaptations in Dhaka, Bangladesh? It does so by exploring the connection between social capital, climate vulnerability, and adaptive capacity. It provides a present day snapshot of the social, political, and environmental problems that exist in different areas of Dhaka based on macro social capital networks. Through a case study of one slum in Dhaka that connects both micro and macro social capital networks, the thesis makes climate change adaptation policy recommendations and explains how a similar social capital analysis can be used in different vulnerable communities worldwide.