Displacements and livelihood resilience in Ghana's mining sector: The moderating role of coping behaviour

Abstract

There are three questions explored in this paper: (i) To what extent does mining-induced displacement impact livelihood capital, (ii) To what extent does livelihood capital impact livelihood resilience outcomes, and (iii) what impact does coping behaviour have on the relationship between livelihood capital and livelihood resilience? A sequential mixed exploratory method is employed to address these questions. The study's first phase includes 60 interviews and two focus group discussions, while 287 surveys were conducted in the second phase. Our hypothesis that coping behaviour moderates the relationship between livelihood capitals and livelihood resilience is explored with preliminary results from interviews and focus groups and confirmed with findings from the quantitative study. Based on the study's conceptual model, the results suggest that livelihood capitals positively affect livelihood resilience outcomes, while displacement limits them, except physical capital. However, the strength of these relationships depends on displaced people's coping behaviour. Finally, the implications of the results in terms of theory and practice are discussed.