Geopolitics of Fear and ‘Climate Change Migrations’: Implications for Bangladesh and India

Contents

CHAPTER-I: Geopolitics of Fear and Migrations: Critical Geo-Historical Perspectives on India-Bangladesh Relations

CHAPTER-II: Climate Change Impacts, Displacements and Migration: Focusing Bangladesh and India.

CHAPTER-III: Indian Responses: Borders, Orders and Others

CHAPTER-IV: Responses from Bangladesh: Uses and Abuses of Geopolitics of Fear

CHAPTER-V: Questioning Climate Borders: Towards Counter-Imaginative Geographies of care and protection?

CHAPTER-VI: Conclusions

Objective & Research Themes

This work explores the emergence of "geopolitics of fear" in South Asia, specifically focusing on how climate-change induced displacement and migration are securitized in India and Bangladesh. The research investigates how historical narratives, emotional geographies, and bordering practices contribute to the formation of "climate borders" and analyzes how these discourses are framed by state and non-state actors.

• The role of "emotional geographies" and "geopolitics of fear" in shaping India-Bangladesh relations.
• The securitization of climate-induced migration and its impact on regional borders.
• Critique of alarmist climate narratives and their influence on national security policies.
• The interaction between climate change impacts, human security, and traditional geopolitical frameworks.
• The potential for counter-imaginative geographies and regional cooperation as alternative solutions.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

CHAPTER-I: Geopolitics of Fear and Migrations: Critical Geo-Historical Perspectives on India-Bangladesh Relations: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework by exploring the "geopolitics of fear" and its role in securitizing climate-induced migration between India and Bangladesh.

CHAPTER-II: Climate Change Impacts, Displacements and Migration: Focusing Bangladesh and India.: This chapter examines the physical impacts of climate change in South Asia and critiques alarmist scenario-building exercises through a social science lens.

CHAPTER-III: Indian Responses: Borders, Orders and Others: This chapter analyzes how Indian state and non-state actors frame climate migration as a national security threat through popular, formal, and practical geopolitical discourses.

CHAPTER-IV: Responses from Bangladesh: Uses and Abuses of Geopolitics of Fear: This chapter explores how political leaders, NGOs, and the media in Bangladesh utilize fear-inducing rhetoric regarding climate migration to serve specific agendas, including aid diplomacy.

CHAPTER-V: Questioning Climate Borders: Towards Counter-Imaginative Geographies of care and protection?: This chapter investigates alternative frameworks for human security and explores potential regional solutions like SAARC to address displacement.

CHAPTER-VI: Conclusions: This chapter synthesizes the main arguments, reaffirming that climate change discourse is deeply political and that securitization often exacerbates rather than resolves human security issues.

Keywords

Geopolitics of fear, climate change, migration, securitization, South Asia, India-Bangladesh relations, human security, imaginative geographies, climate refugees, bordering practices, environmental migration, alarmist narratives, regional cooperation, displacement, climate justice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this book?

The work investigates the "geopolitics of fear" surrounding climate-induced migration in South Asia, specifically analyzing how India and Bangladesh use these narratives to justify securitization and border reinforcement.

What are the central themes addressed?

The book covers the securitization of migration, the role of emotional geographies in political discourse, the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, and the geopolitical implications of "climate refugee" labels.

What is the primary research question?

The research asks in what ways the historical context of trans-border migration and the global securitization of climate change contribute to a geopolitics of fear that influences state policies and borders between India and Bangladesh.

Which scientific methods are employed?

The author employs a critical geopolitical discourse analysis, examining literature, political speeches, media narratives, and policy reports produced by state and non-state actors to expose the "power-knowledge" nexus.

What does the main body of the text cover?

The main chapters systematically map how climate change, migration, and security are interconnected, moving from theoretical reflections to site-specific case studies of India and Bangladesh, and finally exploring normative, rights-based alternatives.

How are "climate refugees" characterized in the research?

The work highlights that the term is highly contested and often used instrumentally by various actors to create alarm, while pointing out the gaps in international legal frameworks that leave these displaced populations without clear protection.

How does the book connect the Partition of 1947 to current climate migration?

The author argues that the collective trauma and fear generated by the 1947 Partition continue to shape current "imaginative geographies" of fear regarding trans-border movement, framing modern climate-displaced individuals through this historical lens of "othering."

What role does the media play in this study?

The research analyzes how media outlets in India and Bangladesh actively contribute to the "climate of fear" by sensationalizing the threats posed by climate change, often reducing complex socioeconomic issues to simplistic security dilemmas.