Occupation: Lecturer, University of Seychelles
Country of origin: Seychelles
The aim is to develop an understanding of the counsellors’ roles and practices that would add value for their practices in the country. It will also examine the counselling profession and the factors impacting it in Seychelles. Furthermore, through this research a clearer understanding on the status of school counselling practices in SIDS via a systematic literature review with a focus on Seychelles will be developed. A comparison of how such roles and practices vary across SIDS will add insights to the analysis. The aim is to contribute to the nationwide initiative towards regulating and professionalizing the practice of counsellors in Seychelles.
Occupation:
Country of origin: Seychelles
The research is based on small island states from the perspective of plantation islands and creolization, with a particular focus on the student’s home archipelago, the Seychelles. The selection of folktales as the corpus for this study was undertaken given the proper contextualization of such material into the theoretical framework and hypothesis. In short, creole folktales illustrate their people’s diasporic origins, the creolization process, and the creation of a new social identity in each creole community. Being islands has also influenced the particularities of each island creole community. Ms Choppy’s supervisory team is formed by Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino (main), Prof. Dominique Lanni (co-supervisor), and Prof. Ray Fabri (advisor). Ms Choppy has successfully undertaken her upgrade from M.Phil. to Ph.D. and is in her final year of studies.
Occupation: Educator; Proprietor and Managing Consultant at A.M.A. Consulting SVG
Country of Origin: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
In April 2021, the La Soufrière volcano in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines erupted. This eruption took place just prior to the beginning of the rainy season in the Caribbean. Small volcanic islands are especially at risk because of the increased likelihood of infrastructure to be located in highly exposed areas due to land use pressures. This research aims to:
Occupation: Public officer at Ministry for Finance and Employment
Country of origin: Malta
In small island states (SIS), characterised by inherent vulnerabilities, building resilience is well documented to be challenging. Faced with co-existing crises, such as climate change and pandemics, resilience in SIS may be enhanced if crises are tackled simultaneously.
One of the main hindrances towards effectively building resilience emerged to be the lack of planetary approaches in policy. This research focuses on food security as a proxy for adopting a planetary approach, with the aim of building resilience to climate change and pandemics.
By taking three SIS as case studies: Mauritius, Seychelles and Malta, this study will attempt to fill some of the gaps in the theoretical understanding of the optimal adoption of win-win policies to tackle the climate and health crises. To do so, it will explore the data gaps about SI(D)S and their vulnerabilities and coping strategies. Specifically, the research shall investigate the barriers to sustainable and planetary food choices, as well as the realignment towards such choices. For this to be achieved, a mixed method approach will be used, with a systematic policy review, qualitative participatory focus groups, and a behavioural experiment.
Occupation: Full-time PhD Candidate
Country of Origin: Belize
Seaweed mariculture is currently emerging in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and has future farm expansion plans along the coast and islands as the demand for this crop is increasing. However, these types of marine-based livelihoods are most vulnerable to the threats of climate change. Managing seaweed farming effectively with climate change impacts will be a unique cross-sectorial challenge; however, the blue economy concept offers an innovative opportunity to address complex and inter-connected challenges, without compromising economic growth while achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of this research study will be to assess the socio-legal and socio-economic status of the current seaweed mariculture in SIDS using a Q-method while identifying the industry’s climate change adaptation strategies to address its key critical points of development that may affect its sustainability. Furthermore, this study aims to explore the social and governance aspects of the SIDS seaweed industry to adopt the blue growth strategy at the heart of its operation as the seaweed industry prepares itself for playing a significant role in the blue economy, thus safeguarding its long-term future. Therefore, it would be vital to conduct a case study on the status of seaweed mariculture in Belize using a factor policy analysis to understand its institutional dimensions, influence, and impact of the current aquaculture policies governing the sustainable development of the seaweed industry for blue growth and climate change adaptation.
Occupation:
Country of origin: Seychelles
This sociological study aims to explore the lived experiences of former heroin users and related discourses associated with heroin use in Seychelles. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Seychelles is one of the most affected SIDS by the heroin pandemic, suffering from the highest rate of heroin use per capita globally (APDAR 2021; UNODC, 2019), representing 5.6% of the population, almost 11% of the working force. Despite a large amount of literature on heroin use and its effect on society, there is a lack of research in understanding heroin use in SIDS context, a gap limiting policy debates and interventions. This research intends to address these shortcomings, inviting a rethinking of drug policy by bringing the stories and surrounding construction of heroin discourses within policy debates and practices. Mr Nicette’s supervisory team is formed by Dr Michael Briguglio (main), Dr Stefano Moncada (co-supervisor), and Prof. Marilyn Clark (advisor).
Occupation:
Country of origin: Italy
This doctoral research explores the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector in small island states and the response and resilience enacted to withstand the crisis. COVID-19 consequences have been severe in touristic small island states. This vulnerability would confirm the traditional view that small islands are fragile. However, past global crises have shown that small island states are resilient. This research intends to contribute to the debate whether this resilience is policy-driven and planned by the government (top-down) or it is due to the innate resourcefulness of the collective action of individuals, firms and the society (bottom-up) and how it applies to the COVID-19 situation. Mr Nguyen’s supervisory team is formed by Prof. Lino Briguglio (main) and Dr Stefano Moncada (co-supervisor). Mr Nguyen has successfully undertaken his upgrade from M.Phil. to Ph.D. and is in his final year of studies.
Occupation: PhD Candidate and Policy Adviser to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
Country of origin: Seychelles
Many countries see the Blue Economy as a sustainable economic model but small States require financing to transition to a blue economy. Private impact investors, multilateral and philanthropic organisations have emerged to support this financing gap with blended finance instruments, such as debt-for-nature swaps and blue bonds. The Blue Economy and blue finance deals are often criticized for failing to deliver on the social equity and ocean ecosystem health pillars of the Blue Economy. The PhD candidate posits that the realization of Blue Economy should not be left to the negotiations of Blue Finance deals but instead countries should employ robust domestic laws that are fit for purpose and that ensures the delivery on all three pillars of the BE. The PhD candidate intends to develop model law and provisions for agreements that can guide present and future legislative actions at national and international level.
Occupation: Assistant Head of Department and Lecturer at University of Seychelles
Country of origin: Seychelles
Climate change and its forecasted impacts on Small Island States (SIDS) have been documented in the literature extensively, and climate change adaptation has been identified as a key policy response. However, relatively little is known about how SIDS implement climate change adaptation initiatives on the ground, and much less is known about how local communities are integrated in the decision-making processes around these initiatives.
SIDS have increasingly looked at their ocean space as a way of re-framing their development pathways. Known as the Blue Economy (BE) model, some SIDS have started to consider the value of their marine ecosystems, especially in the importance of preserving and conserving their blue carbon stock to prevent further climate change. Within this context, the Republic of Seychelles hosts some of the largest seagrass meadows in the Western Indian Ocean, therefore, blue carbon markets, and specifically the participation of local communities within such mechanisms, requires much further attention for climate change adaptation to succeed.
This research traces the role of climate change adaptation within SIDS’ development agendas, and the potential for blue carbon markets as a further adaptive measure in the SIDS of the Republic of Seychelles. The role of community participation in blue carbon markets – notably, seagrass meadows – is considered in depth, conducting a systematic literature review to identify research gaps. The use of a discrete choice model is proposed as means to assess the community’s willingness to participate in a blue carbon offset project in Seychelles. This research aims to collect primary data via participatory focus groups and interviews among key stakeholders, and conducts household surveys among local coastal communities, with the aim of identifying and assessing advantages, disadvantages and barriers to community participation in blue carbon market measures that support climate change adaptation, in the context of the SIDS of Seychelles. This research aims at extending theoretical understanding of climate change adaptation in the context of coastal communities of SIDS, exploring the role of community involvement in the uptake of local economic development mechanisms linked to the concept of the blue economy. It is further expected that this study will contribute to the small but growing field of research focusing on the development of effective blue carbon markets in Small Island States, but will more importantly assess the importance of community participation in determining the success of these markets.
Occupation:
Country of origin: Jamaica
This research seeks to contribute to the volume of work on structural violence and political tribalism in the Caribbean. Specifically, it explores the lived realities of socio-economically garrisoned communities attached to the two major political parties in Jamaica: the Jamaica Labour Party and the Peoples National Party. The consequences of political hegemony on identity and the lived realities of social actors will also be explored, together with the symbiotic relationship between political identity, national identity, and personhood for Jamaicans who are socially excluded.
Additionally, the purpose of this research is to investigate and characterize the intersectionality of social suffering and violence in urban enclaves, focusing on the implications for ontological security. This project is guided by the qualitative or constructivist approach to social research. The study will employ an amalgamation of tools, such as in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and ethnographic observations. Equally, an interpretive phenomenological analysis will be utilized to support the meaning-making of participants in the context of their experiences and social realities. The project asserts that social exclusion has transformed these communities into islands in the larger context of Jamaica. Additionally, state parasitism and victory addiction have nurtured social endemism and social violence in daily interactions among political tribes.
Occupation: Deputy Chief Climate Change Officer
Country of origin: Belmopan, Belize
Climate change adaptation has been identified as an essential policy response to the negative impacts of climate change. While most of the adaptation research has focused on responses and strategies that are implemented by the public sector and large multinational companies, there is a gap in knowledge on how micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) are adapting, and whether suitable theoretical frameworks exist to accommodate the specific needs of MSMEs. Empirical evidence of MSME adaptation is also scarce when applied to small island developing states (SIDS), which are highly vulnerable and disproportionately impacted by climate change.
In this regard, the research aims to fill gaps by providing coherent insights into the drivers, responses and outcomes of adaptation measures implemented by MSMEs, as well as to determine the suitability of various adaptation options and technologies for MSMEs. Such research would add to current knowledge by providing a wider understanding of the motivating factors for MSME adaptation, lessons learned and examples of innovative responses, the specific and measurable results of those responses and the role of the public sector in enabling and incentivizing beneficial actions.
Additionally, the research will provide a theoretical basis for the development of an ideal policy framework (including both legislation and institutions) which provides a structured approach to developing effective policies, strategies and plans that create an enabling environment for sustainable adaptation investments and actions by MSMEs. Such a framework is key to instigating national adaptation actions by MSMEs and for removing technical, financial and technological barriers to the uptake and diffusion of adaptation options. Additionally, it would provide entry points for NGOs, financial institutions and governments to engage with MSMEs regarding climate change adaptation in SIDS.
Occupation: Educator; UNFCCC CAPACITY Fellow
Country of origin: Rodrigues Island, Mauritius
Climate is changing and so are island societies. In remote coastal communities, people are much dependent on traditional livelihood activities consisting of farming or crop-production and fishing. Culture is an under-studied area in the climate change literature although there is growing consensus that it contributes largely to how societies adapt to and cope with climate risks and impacts. People give meanings and values to things in different ways. Understanding how risks, degree of impacts, individualistic perceptions and adaptive strategies differ across regions and their inherent culture, and across differentiated individuals’ socioeconomic predispositions, has become critical.
In Rodrigues, a remote semi-autonomous outer island of the Republic of Mauritius, the complexity of remoteness is entangled with the island’s deep-rooted culture (traditional knowledge, identity, experiences, resources, and environment). The island situated some 640 km northeast of Mauritius, is the smallest (with 110 km² land mass) of the Mascarene Islands but has the largest lagoon (13km wide and 240 km² in area) in the Indian Ocean. The population density is about 390 persons per km².
Rodrigues does not have an individual HDI ranking given that it is part of the Republic of Mauritius, but it has poverty levels at about 37.6%.
The research will attempt to understand how culture has shaped households’ past adaptation trajectories in the island’s coastal communities and how current and future adaptation to climate hazards might be shaped by it. The research also attempts to identify the opportunities and constraints in terms of assets and resources availability over time; to understand how past, current, and potential future climate stressors affect/ed livelihoods (fishing, agriculture and tourism) as well
as identify related adaptation strategies. It is further expected that this research will inform policies in the short and long terms to projected impacts of climate risks and contribute to the literature on culture and climate adaptation. This research aims to collect data through mixed methods including, participatory focus groups, interviews, participatory rural appraisal, and household surveys.
Occupation: Director General for Technical and Vocational Education and Training & Entrepreneurship
Country of origin: Seychelles
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the global economy has been hit severely especially in the tourism sector, and in the production, supply, distribution and price of food. The small island states of the Indian Ocean such as Seychelles and Mauritius (which are being studied in this research) are no exception, given their high dependency on tourism and importation of food, fuel, labour, raw materials and other commodities. COVID-19 has contributed to a sharp decline in Foreign Direct Investment, GDP growth and export volumes of these islands, as well as disrupted regional and global supply chains.
The heavy blow to these islands’ tourism sector has brought about a myriad of socio-economic and political challenges which call for a critical rethinking of their current macroeconomic and fiscal policies and strategies. Although these islands are limited in terms of economies of scale, arable land and availability of skilled labour, agricultural policy reform and restructuring is seen as a major strategic option of the on-going economic diversification and liberalization processes to ensure the survival of their economies in the midst of the post COVID-19 pandemic and other obstacles. Yet, both of these islands are economically vulnerable and exposed to exogenous shocks that are exacerbated by insularity, with a strong impact on the agricultural sector, especially in terms of high cost of labour and importation of agricultural inputs.
Cognizant of these challenges, complexities and opportunities arising from lack of competitiveness, high reliance on importation, narrow resource base and range of exports, this research aims to conduct a socio-economic analysis of the factors affecting the agricultural sector in Mauritius by focusing on implications for education and training development in Seychelles. To bring about growth and prosperity in the Seychelles, this research would contribute very much towards further development in education and the modernization of TVET.
The aims of this exploratory study are; (a) to find out what are the current socio-economic factors influencing the development of agriculture and their impacts on education and training in Mauritius, and; (b) what are their implications for further development of education and agricultural training in Seychelles. The value of this research is considerable, given its interdisciplinary nature and its timing and context under which it will be conducted. It can be a significant contribution towards the future development of the agricultural sector in Seychelles, and perhaps other small island states, in terms of policy reform, peer learning, strategic planning and resilience building
Occupation: ISSI RSO / ISSI PhD Candidate
Country of Origin: Italy
This PhD project is part of the MEDiverSEAty European Doctoral Network, funded under the Marie
Skłodowska-Curie grant, exploring the human dimensions of Mediterranean marine biodiversity.
In particular, this research intends to investigate the role of marine and terrestrial protected areas in supporting climate change adaptation (CCA) and well-being in Malta, focusing on 'Il-Majjistral' National Park. This research aims to identify key climate change hazards and examine how protected areas contribute to Malta’s and the EU’s CCA commitments. Using a sustainable livelihoods approach, the study will assess how protected areas in Malta can enhance livelihood resources and well-being among stakeholders and the wider population, including challenges and obstacles.
The project will employ mixed-methods, combining qualitative participatory focus groups, quantitative surveys, and spatial analysis. This approach will geo-locate hazards, identify livelihood resources, and evaluate measures promoting CCA through ecosystem restoration.
Outcomes are expected to contribute to climate change and development theories, particularly regarding livelihoods, well-being, and the planning and management of protected areas in small island states. Findings aim to inform policy on climate change adaptation, environmental management, and communication strategies.
Occupation: ISSI RSO / ISSI PhD Candidate
Country of origin: Australia
Citizen Science (CS) is a tool widely being adopted around the world for its participatory and community-based approach in expanding scientific knowledge. CS is a key tool in addressing global data deficiencies, monitoring environments, facilitating knowledge sharing and enhancing active participation in nature restoration. In island contexts, CS can support the collection of reliable and validated data, which is often scarce in island states due to weak governance structures and limited enforcement of coastal protected areas. Hence this project aims to understand the human dimensions of CS in island marine protected zones and coastal environments.
This research will involve three research studies taking an interdisciplinary approach, combining a systematic literature review with field/survey experiments. The first study will conduct a systematic literature review and identify existing research gaps on CS, its effectiveness, and the factors that influence participation. Building upon this knowledge, the second study will design a randomised survey of incentives to investigate the role behaviour has on the effectiveness of CS participation in Malta. The third study will map and scope key entities and investigate the relationships between actors. It is expected that theories of CS, ecosystem restoration will be expanded by drawing on insights from these three research investigations. This research forms part of the European Doctoral Training Program ‘MEDiverSEAty’ investigating the human dimensions of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity. The project would not be possible without support of the European Union’s Horizon programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network.
Country of origin: Trinidad and Tobago
Occupation: ISSI PhD Candidate
Origin country: Germany
Title of research - Disseminating Technocratic Narratives: Public policies on digital infrastructure in small jurisdictions.
Digital identity systems have become popular additions to digital state governance, enabling digital access to public services. However, their implementation challenges small jurisdictions, particularly in deciding between private and public governance, technology selection, and socio-political impacts.
While large jurisdictions are represented in the global discourse, this study highlights the absence of small actors in the discourse regardless of their innovative approaches. By examining how these digital identity systems are selected, procured, deployed, and operated, the research addresses the gap of understanding the role of appropriately governing these solutions for fulfilling their stated objectives for small jurisdictions.