| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Version | v1.1 |
| Created | 2025-09-01 |
| Last Updated | 2026-01-14 |
| Status | ACTIVE |
| Owner | Dr. Amara Diallo (PhD Candidate, Environmental Policy) |
Change Log:
| Date | Version | Change | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-01 | v1.0 | Initial creation | Project start |
| 2026-01-14 | v1.1 | Added Section 4.3: terminology lock | AI was inconsistently using "adaptive" vs "resilience" |
Paper title (working): Adaptive Governance Mechanisms in Coastal Climate Communities: Evidence from Three Municipal Case Studies
Target journal: Global Environmental Change (impact factor 11.2)
In scope:
- Three case study municipalities: Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Semarang (Indonesia), Cartagena (Colombia)
- Time period: 2010–2024 governance changes
- Focus: Institutional design, not engineering infrastructure
- Framework: Ostrom's IAD framework as primary analytical lens
Out of scope:
- Engineering solutions (seawalls, drainage infrastructure)
- National/federal policy — only municipal level
- Economic cost-benefit analysis of adaptations
- Post-2024 events (data collection closed)
This is comparative qualitative research. We make analytical generalizations (theory), not statistical generalizations (prevalence). AI must never claim findings "represent" coastal cities broadly.
When there is tension between a primary source (interview, government document) and a secondary source (academic paper about the place), primary source wins.
Ostrom's IAD framework is the lens. AI must use IAD terminology consistently. If AI suggests re-framing using a different framework, flag it explicitly — do not silently drift.
| Boundary | Rule |
|---|---|
| Citations | Only cite sources confirmed in canonical-numbers.md. Never use AI-suggested citations without manual verification. |
| Data | Only use data from canonical-numbers.md. Never paraphrase statistics loosely. |
| Argument ownership | AI assists structure and language. Core arguments are Amara's. If AI introduces a new argument, flag it clearly. |
| Plagiarism | AI must not reproduce substantial text from sources. Paraphrase, quote with attribution. |
| Authorship | AI is a tool, not a contributor. Paper is sole-authored by Amara Diallo. |
These terms have specific meanings in this paper. AI must use them consistently.
| Term | Definition in this paper | Do not confuse with |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive governance | Governance that can modify rules in response to feedback (Chaffin et al., 2014) | "Resilience" (different concept) |
| Polycentric | Multiple overlapping governance authorities (Ostrom) | "Multi-level" or "multi-stakeholder" |
| Institutional bricolage | Combining existing institutional elements creatively | "Institutional innovation" (too broad) |
| SLR exposure | Sea-level rise exposure (physical risk) | "SLR vulnerability" (includes social factors) |
| Municipal government | City/town authority only | "Local government" (too broad, includes district) |
Core arguments as currently structured. Do not change without explicit decision.
Main claim: Coastal municipalities with polycentric governance structures exhibit stronger adaptive capacity to SLR than those with centralized structures.
Sub-argument 1: Polycentric structures create faster rule-change feedback loops
Sub-argument 2: Institutional bricolage is more prevalent in polycentric cases
Sub-argument 3: Community participation is structurally embedded, not ad hoc, in the high-performing cases
If AI suggests modifying any of these, treat it as a proposal requiring explicit decision — do not accept implicitly.
| Review | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Numbers accuracy check | Before any draft submission |
| Terminology consistency check | Every 3 writing sessions |
| Argument integrity check | Monthly |
| Full strategy review | Before each major draft milestone |
"Truth that has no designated location becomes negotiable by default."