On February 18th, 2025, Jewel Das successfully defended his PhD at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) and the University of Bremen, Germany. His dissertation, titled “Coastal Megaprojects in the Blue Economy: Towards Equity and Transformation for the Coastal Poor – A Case Study from Bangladesh,” examines the social impacts of large-scale coastal developments on small-scale fisheries.
Centered on Maheshkhali Island in southeastern Bangladesh, the study investigates the displacement, dispossession, and marginalization caused by projects such as coal power plants and deep-sea ports. By applying political ecology lens, coastal conflict studies, blue justice, and interactive governance, Jewel identifies governance gaps and the disconnect between global blue economy initiatives and national policies.
The findings stress the importance of inclusive governance, participatory decision-making, and justice-driven transformations in the blue economy. The research also proposes a framework for “safe spaces” to enhance equity in small-scale fisheries, challenging dominant development narratives and geopolitical influences.
Now that Jewel is back in Bangladesh, we look forward to seeing new activities from TBTI Bangladesh hub in the near future.
All photos were taken by Jewel Das.