Citizenship Amidst Disaster

Abstract

Climate disaster, climate migration, and displacements due to disasters are a growing field of academic inquiry. Several recent studies have highlighted the human cost of climate vulnerability and discussed the scenario of climate migration as a strategy for adaptation (or failure to do so). Studies on climate migration governance have questioned the lack of regional and national policy frameworks to deal with climate migration flows. In this paper, I explore how the government of Assam in India responds to hydro-metrological displacement exacerbated by climate change in recent years. I argue that the complexity of migration, belonging and citizenship in sub-national spaces is often ignored in policy debates. I further argue that to create inclusive climate future it is necessary not just to recognize the institutional barriers but to also address the citizenship barriers in vulnerable geographies.