Actantial analysis of climate change adaptation narratives by fisherfolk in Del Carmen, Siargao, Philippines

Climate change is a global, multifaceted issue where diverse stakeholders – especially those from the Global South – struggle to assert their voices within a discourse written primarily in the exclusionary language of science. This narrative reduces a polyphony of perspectives into a monologue, placing disproportionate blame on the public while undermining their agency. Among those marginalized are the silenced voices of fisherfolk and the silent non-human actants. This study aimed to privilege the voices of fisherfolk in two communities in Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Philippines, while recognizing the roles of non-humans in climate adaptation. It analyzed the stories of 16 fisherfolk, focusing on their lived experiences adapting to climate change and the roles of both human and non-human actants in the overall narrative. Through Greimas’ actantial model, six actantial classes and three narrative axes were identified, revealing how the fisherfolk negotiated adaptation alongside non-human actants in their environment. Furthermore, framed by Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the study showed that non-humans were not passive objects within the narrative but active agents affording opportunities for adaptation within socio-ecological networks. These findings challenge the dominant monologue and call for a pluralized discourse that acknowledges both human and non-human participation in the movement for climate justice.