Environmental disasters and social resilience in anthropological perspective (WATERWORLDS)

Description:

Currently, Earth is vulnerable, faced with environmental disasters and global climate change. The threat of habitual natural resources being lost, fear of nature becoming more unpredictable and coping with the destruction of natural habitats as a result of social disruptions are causing people to suffer. As a way to alleviate this, the WATERWORLDS (Waterworlds: Natural environmental disasters and social resilience in anthropological perspective) project sought to contribute to a renewed theory of social resilience. It looked at places that are affected by changing water resources and how people respond to these changes. The project documented this in order to address the challenges. Three major water-related changes were the main focus: melting ice, rising sea level and drying lands. Looking at the social responses to the changes allowed for the comparison of vastly different societies and climates while also keeping general patterns insight. Fifteen researchers were involved, examining environmental problems in west Africa, the Arctic, south India, the Pacific and Peru. Results indicate that social responses affect nature as much as when the situation is reversed. Thus, a renewed sense of social resilience is required to rethink environmental realities and people's responsibility to ensure the survival of their communities.

Project information

Lead

University of Copenhagen Prof. Kirsten Hastrup

Partners

University of Copenhagen

Source of funding

FP 7