The modalities of power driving climate-related resettlement: Evidence from the Philippines

• Climate resettlement is understood as an exercise in power. • We challenge the dominant view of power as a unidirectional monolithic force in resettlement. • We foreground the multiple modalities of power in climate resettlement. • Aside from authority and coercion, actors engage in persuasion, manipulation, and seduction. • Different modalities of power multiply possibilities for political intervention by diverse actors. Climate resettlement is an exercise in power that has various intended and unintended effects. Drawing upon a case study in the Philippines, we theorise how power is enacted and uncovered the range of actors and strategies employed in relocating communities affected by climate change. Inspired by the work of John Allen, we challenge the emphasis on coercion and domination for understanding the role of power in climate resettlement. Through interviews, focus group discussions, and review of planning documents, we explore the “quieter” and less obvious registers of power, namely persuasion, manipulation, and seduction. We discuss the strategies employed by different stakeholders in negotiating and preserving their rights and access to land and resources. We find that Allen’s taxonomy offers a valuable heuristic device to capture the nuances of power and advance an understanding of how power – in all its forms – is central to the conceptualisation of climate resettlement.