The Social Impacts of Flood on the Canadian Prairies

Climate extremes are costly environmental hazards, which create social stressors due to impacts on all human uses of land and water resources. Humans are adaptable, but their capacity for adaptation is constrained by various social factors, including social inequality. This research project asked: “How do gender and other social factors shape the experience of flooding for individuals in a rural agricultural community?” A case study approach was used to develop an in-depth understanding of one rural area’s unique experience of climate hazards. The research focused on the rural community of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, and its surrounding area. A total of 21 participants were interviewed about their experience of flooding. Gender was one factor that shaped experience. Socioeconomic status and age were also determinants of how successfully individuals negotiated the flood and how easily they recovered. Women participants were more likely to have a low income and socio-economic status, demonstrating the intersection of these social aspects. This project endeavours to add to the growing understanding of the complex interaction between social factors of individuals and communities by examining how gender and other social factors influence how people experience flooding.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Grantor dc:publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Culham, Angela Karina

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Fletcher, Amber

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Hurlbert, Margot
• Reed, Maureen

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.82465/3977

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/9322