A framework for social impact analysis of large dams: A case study of cascading dams on the Upper-Mekong River, China

Construction of large dams on the Upper-Mekong River, China, has significant social impacts on local communities. To analyze the social impacts, we identified three classes of wealth for the affected people, material, embodied, and relational, and comprehensively compared the loss and compensation in each type of wealth. Then we examined the effects on gap of wealth at household and community levels. Lastly, an insider–outsider analysis was conducted to understand the differences in the perceptions of wealth loss between local villagers and policy makers, and recommendations for more reasonable compensation policies were provided.

► We propose a framework to comprehensively assess the social impacts of large dams.
► We apply the framework to case studies on dams on the Upper-Mekong River, China.
► Dam construction has multi-dimensional impacts on relocated people.
► Dam construction has impacts on gaps in wealth at different scales.
► Policy makers and relocated people need to reach agreements on losses in different dimensions.