A systems approach to health, well-being and the environment: air pollution and Shanghai's elderly

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dc.contributor.advisorBunch, Martin
dc.contributor.advisorAli, Harris
dc.contributor.advisorMa, Jeremy
dc.creatorWeedmark-Kish, Kaitlin Marie
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-21T16:23:02Z
dc.date.available2016-09-21T16:23:02Z
dc.date.copyright2013-08
dc.degree.disciplineEnvironmental Studies
dc.degree.levelMaster's
dc.degree.nameMES - Master of Environmental Studies
dc.description.abstractUsing Soft Systems Methodologies (SSM) to transcend cultural boundaries in an open format, this paper examines the changes experienced by Shanghai's elderly in the context of health, well-being and the environment. Shanghai has undergone rapid urban transformation in the past three decades resulting in significant increases in cases of respiratory illness relating to environmental air pollution. Complex and non-linear issues have provoked a re-evaluation of traditional approaches to understanding real world problem situations. Systems thinking provides an epistemological foundation for methodologies that are holistic. A particular branch of systems thinking, SSM, highly values participant knowledge and provides techniques for examining this knowledge. However, the findings in this paper indicate that the participants believe health is not decreasing. Instead, a strong social hierarchy emerged demonstrating that the government heavily influences participant's opinions of the environment and their health. Additionally, overall increases in well-being are deemed as suitable tradeoffs for environmental degradation.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/32380
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subject.keywordsHealth
dc.subject.keywordsWell-being
dc.subject.keywordsEnvironment
dc.subject.keywordsAir pollution
dc.subject.keywordsSoft systems methodologies
dc.subject.keywordsSSM
dc.subject.keywordsSystems thinking
dc.subject.keywordsShanghai
dc.titleA systems approach to health, well-being and the environment: air pollution and Shanghai's elderly
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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