Olumisimi Owolabi

Evolving Identities: The Impact of Climate Change on the San and Nubian Peoples

Started May 30, 2023

Abstract or project description

This study investigates how climate change impacts the cultural and social identities of the San people in Southern Africa and the Egyptian Nubians in Northern Africa. Both groups confront distinct environmental challenges that have reshaped their traditional livelihoods, gender dynamics, and resilience strategies. By examining how these communities are affected by and adapt to environmental changes, the research addresses the broader theoretical problem of how climate change influences cultural resilience and transformation. Data was collected through structured interviews with anthropologist Robert Hitchcock (University of New Mexico) and historian Professor James McCann (Boston University), as well as through a review of scholarly sources, enabling an in-depth understanding of each group’s lived experiences. The findings conclude that while both communities exhibit resilience, their adaptation responses are shaped by distinct cultural and historical contexts, underscoring the necessity for tailored approaches and policies in climate change interventions.

Keywords: climate change, cultural identity, social adaptation, San people, Egyptian Nubians, Africa.