Cookies are used for analytics and marketing. Enable JavaScript to manage preferences, or see our Privacy Policy.

Abstracts

Add abstract

Want to add your dissertation abstract to this database? It only takes a minute!

Search abstract

Search for abstracts by subject, author or institution

Share this abstract

dissertation.com
on Facebook

The discourse of adaptation

by Jesse Auspitz

Institution:	Toronto Metropolitan University
Department:	Urban Development (Theses)
Degree:
Year:	2022
Keywords:	Urban and regional planning, n.e.c.; Climate change impacts and adaptation; Climatic changes; Climatic changes – Government policy
Posted:	3/25/2025
Record ID:	2244852
Full text PDF:	http://hdl.handle.net/10.32920/ryerson.14668455.v1

Abstract

This research paper explores the discourse of municipal climate change adaptation in the context of planning. Dryzek's criteria are used which analyzes 4 dimensions of a discourse: basic entitites; assumptions about natural relationships; agents and their motives; and, key metaphors and other rhetorical devices. Policies are analyzed from two municipalities in Canada: Toronto, Ontario and Halifax Regional Municipality. Analysis reveals climate change is assumed to already happening and requires action; a hierarchy of vulnerable "objects" including the city, citizens, ecoystems that need protection from a "subject" or the city; experts and government have the responsibility to educate the public; and rhetorical devices suggest urgency which can be used to reinforce a system of hierarchy that alienates citizens from the process.