Queenette Nwariaku
Thesis title: Investigating Polycentric Institutional Interactions in the Small-Scale Fisheries Governance of Nigeria
Small-scale fisheries (SSF) governance in countries of the Global South, like Nigeria, operate within a context of polycentric legal pluralism, whereby state-led laws and policies on fish extraction exist alongside customary laws and systems. SSF governance is therefore influenced by cultural, political, economic and socio-legal factors. Investigations into how these factors affect institutional interactions within these contexts have generated understanding of the adaptation or ‘bricolage’ of institutions. However, there remains a gap in experience and knowledge on SSF governance and interaction between SSF institutions within a context of polycentric legal pluralism. This research will therefore advance institutional analysis of natural resource governance, whilst generating much-needed empirical evidence on SSF governance in West Africa. Methodologically, a case study research design will be used to give a detailed analysis of SSF governance in polycentric legal contexts of Nigeria, while ethnographic qualitative approach will be key for generating rich data that will aid analysis in this research. This research will make an important contribution to existing knowledge on institutional analysis of renewable natural resource governance, by applying critical institutionalism to a polycentric legal pluralism angle. It will also generate a much-needed empirical evidence on SSF governance in West Africa, where research on SSF and SSF governance remains limited, despite the significant socioeconomic impacts of SSF in countries like Nigeria.
Biography
Queenette Nwariaku is an ESRC-funded 1 + 3 PhD student at the University of Birmingham, with over 10 years of interdisciplinary skills and experience within the public and private sector in the areas of sustainability and environmental policy, governance and compliance advisory (legal and regulatory), project management, litigation, research, and academia. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Abia State University, Uturu, a Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School, and a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Lagos. She also obtained an MSc in Environment, Development, and Politics (with Distinction) from the University of Birmingham, under the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship. Queenette is currently undergoing research skills training through an MA in Social Research at the University of Birmingham, leading up to her PhD. Her primary research interests lie in the institutional (legal and governance) interactions and arrangements surrounding renewable natural resources in low-income countries, and livelihoods and development in Africa.
Other Research Interests
Political Economy of Development, Energy Transition, Climate Change
Area Studies
University of Birmingham
2023 Cohort, 1+3
https://www.linkedin.com/in/queenette-nwariaku
Supervisory team
Prof Fiona Nunan
Dr Walters Nsoh