Looking Back And Looking Forward: Exploring Livelihood Change And Resilience Building In A Brazilian Coastal Community
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated how a Caicara community (traditional group of mixed heritage) has been dealing with social-ecological changes over the last 50 years, and how these changes have affected the livelihood resilience.
About: This article is published in Ocean & Coastal Management.The article was published on 2015-08-01. It has received 34 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Livelihood & Ecosystem services.
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TL;DR: Zhang et al. as discussed by the authors used the structural dynamics to describe the changes in livelihood resilience of Sichuan rural residents from quadruple dimensions: livelihood quality, livelihood promotion, livelihood provision and disaster stress.
66 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of academic literature of ecosystem services and cultural heritage is carried out, and the implications for cultural heritage management could be if the heritage sector adopts the rationales in the ES framework.
Abstract: During the last decade, we have witnessed an increased interest in Ecosystem Services (ES), including the so-called ‘cultural ecosystem services’ and its subcategory of ‘cultural heritage’. In this article, a review of academic literature of ES and cultural heritage is carried out. ES has primarily been developed by scholars from the ecological and economic disciplines, and in this article, we discuss how this impacts the way in which cultural heritage is used and conceptualised in ES literature. Based on the conceptual review, we initiate a discussion of what the implications for cultural heritage management could be if the heritage sector adopts the rationales in the ES framework.
62 citations
TL;DR: The authors used case studies of three coastal communities in the Western Region of Ghana to gain insights into how multiple stressors combine to affect small-scale fisheries, and they found that the effects of climate-related and non-climate stressors are better comprehended when analysed in light of the synergetic effect of multiple stressesors.
48 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors examined households' adaptive choice of livelihood patterns in the context of changing rural China based on a 12-year continuous household survey in Jungar Banner.
48 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the adaptation responses of households of different wealth classes, the heterogeneous adaptation opportunities, barriers and limits (OBLs) faced by these households and the dynamic ways in which these factors interact to enhance or impede adaptive capacities.
Abstract: Social-ecological changes, brought about by the rapid growth of the aquaculture industry and the increased occurrence of climatic stressors, have significantly affected the livelihoods of coastal communities in Asian mega-deltas. This paper explores the livelihood adaptation responses of households of different wealth classes, the heterogeneous adaptation opportunities, barriers and limits (OBLs) faced by these households and the dynamic ways in which these factors interact to enhance or impede adaptive capacities. A mixed methods approach was used to collect empirical evidence from two villages in coastal Bangladesh. Findings reveal that households’ adaptive capacities largely depend on their wealth status, which not only determine their availability of productive resources, but also empower them to navigate social-ecological change in desirable ways. Households operate within a shared response space, which is shaped by the broader socio-economic and political landscape, as well as their previous decisions that can lock them in to particular pathways. While an adaptive response may be effective for one social group, it may cause negative externalities that can undermine the adaptation options and outcomes of another group. Adaptation OBLs interact in complex ways; the extent to which these OBLs affect different households depend on the specific livelihood activities being considered and the differential values and interests they hold. To ensure more equitable and environmentally sustainable livelihoods in future, policies and programs should aim to expand households’ adaptation space by accounting for the heterogeneous needs and complex interdependencies between response processes of different groups.
41 citations
References
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Book•
01 Jan 1991
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed the literature and conduct ethical studies in social research and the politics of social research in the context of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, and concluded that the need for qualitative and quantitative data is critical for social science research.
Abstract: IN THIS SECTION: 1.) BRIEF 2.) COMPREHENSIVE BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I Foundations Chapter 1 Why Do Research? Chapter 2 What Are the Major Types of Social Research? Chapter 3 Theory and Research Chapter 4 The Meanings of Methodology Chapter 5 How to Review the Literature and Conduct Ethical Studies Part II Planning and Preparation Chapter 6 Strategies of Research Design Chapter 7 Qualitative and Quantitative Measurement Chapter 8 Qualitative and Quantitative Sampling Part III Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis Chapter 9 Experimental Research Chapter 10 Survey Research Chapter 11 Nonreactive Research and Secondary Analysis Chapter 12 Analysis of Quantitative Data Part IV Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis Chapter 13 Field Research and Focus Group Research Chapter 14 Historical-Comparative Research Chapter 15 Analysis of Qualitative Data Part V Communicating with Others Chapter 16 Writing the Research Report and the Politics of Social Research COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I Foundations Chapter 1 Why Do Research? Alternatives to Social Science Research What Research Involves: A Scientific Approach Varieties of Social Research Steps in the Research Process Why Learn How to Conduct Social Research Chapter 2 What Are the Major Types of Social Research? Use and Audience of Research Purpose of Research Within or Across Case Single or Multiple Points in Time Data Collection Techniques Chapter 3 Theory and Research What Is Theory? Social Theory versus Ideology The Parts of Theory Chapter 4 The Meanings of Methodology Philosophical Foundations The Three Approaches Positivist Social Science Interpretative Social Science Critical Social Science Feminist and Postmodern Research Chapter 5 How to Review the Literature and Conduct Ethical Studies The Literature Review Ethics in Social Research Part II Planning and Preparation Chapter 6 Strategies of Research Design Triangulation Qualitative and Quantitative Orientations Toward Research Qualitative Design Issues Quantitative Design Issues Chapter 7 Qualitative and Quantitative Measurement The Need for Measurement Quanitative and Qualtitative Measurement The Measurement Process Reliability and Validity A Guide to Quantitative Measurement Scales and Indexes Chapter 8 Qualitative and Quantitative Sampling Reasons for Sampling Sampling Strategies Part III Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis Chapter 9 Experimental Research Appropriate Technique A Short History of the Experiment Random Assignment Experimental Design Logic Internal and External Validity Practical Considerations Results of Experimental Research: Making Comparisons A Word on Ethics Chapter 10 Survey Research A History of Survey Research The Logic of Survey Research Construction of the Questionnaire Types of Surveys: Advantages and Disadvantages Survey Interviewing The Ethical Survey Chapter 11 Nonreactive Research and Secondary Analysis Nonreactive Measurement Content Analysis Existing Statistics/Documents and Secondary Analysis Secondary Analysis of Survey Data Issues of Inference and Theory Testing Ethical Concerns Chapter 12 Analysis of Quantitative Data Dealing with Data Results with One Variable Results with Two Variables More than Two Variables Inferential Statistics Part IV Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis Chapter 13 Field Research and Focus Group Research Understanding Field Research The Field Research Interview Data Quality Ethical Dilemmas of Field Research Focus Group Research Chapter 14 Historical-Comparative Research A Short History of Historical-Comparative Research Research Questions Appropriate for Historical-Comparative Research The Logic of Historical-Comparative Research Steps in Conducting a Historical-Comparative Research Project Data and Evidence in Historical Context Comparative Research Equivalence in Historical-Comparative Research Ethics Chapter 15 Analysis of Qualitative Data Comparison of Methods of Data Analysis Coding and Concept Formation Analytic Strategies for Qualitative Data Other Techniques Part V Communicating with Others Chapter 16 Writing the Research Report and the Politics of Social Research The Research Report The Politics of Social Research Objectivity and Value Freedom Appendix: Table of Randomly Selected Five Digit Numbers Bibliography Name Index Subject Index
18,682 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1988
TL;DR: This book discusses the foundations of social research, as well as some of the techniques used in qualitative and quantitative analysis, which have been used in quantitative and Quantitative Analysis.
Abstract: Chapter 1. Anthropology and the Social Sciences Chapter 2. The Foundations of Social Research Chapter 3. Preparing for Research Chapter 4. Research Design: Experiments and Experimental Thinking Chapter 5. Sampling I: The Basics Chapter 6. Sampling II: Theory Chapter 7. Sampling III: Nonprobability Samples and Choosing Informants Chapter 8. Interviewing I: Unstructured and Semistructured Chapter 9. Interviewing II: Questionnaires Chapter 10. Interviewing III: Cultural Domains Chapter 11. Scales and Scaling Chapter 12. Participant Observation Chapter 13. Field Notes and Database Management Chapter 14. Direct and Indirect Observation Chapter 15. Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis Chapter 16. Cognitive Anthropology I: Analyzing Cultural Domains Chapter 17. Cognitive Anthropology II: Decision Modeling, Taxonomies, and Componential Analysis Chapter 18. Text Analysis I: Interpretive Analysis, Narrative Analysis, Performance Analysis, and Conversation Analysis Chapter 19. Text Analysis II: Schema Analysis, Grounded Theory, Content Analysis, and Analytic Induction Chapter 20. Univariate Analysis Chapter 21. Bivariate Analysis Chapter 22. Multivariate Analysis
5,953 citations
TL;DR: The concept of resilience has evolved considerably since Holling's (1973) seminal paper as discussed by the authors and different interpretations of what is meant by resilience, however, cause confusion, and it can be counterproductive to seek definitions that are too narrow.
Abstract: The concept of resilience has evolved considerably since Holling’s (1973) seminal paper. Different interpretations of what is meant by resilience, however, cause confusion. Resilience of a system needs to be considered in terms of the attributes that govern the system’s dynamics. Three related attributes of social– ecological systems (SESs) determine their future trajectories: resilience, adaptability, and transformability. Resilience (the capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and reorganize while undergoing change so as to still retain essentially the same function, structure, identity, and feedbacks) has four components—latitude, resistance, precariousness, and panarchy—most readily portrayed using the metaphor of a stability landscape. Adaptability is the capacity of actors in the system to influence resilience (in a SES, essentially to manage it). There are four general ways in which this can be done, corresponding to the four aspects of resilience. Transformability is the capacity to create a fundamentally new system when ecological, economic, or social structures make the existing system untenable. The implications of this interpretation of SES dynamics for sustainability science include changing the focus from seeking optimal states and the determinants of maximum sustainable yield (the MSY paradigm), to resilience analysis, adaptive resource management, and adaptive governance. INTRODUCTION An inherent difficulty in the application of these concepts is that, by their nature, they are rather imprecise. They fall into the same sort of category as “justice” or “wellbeing,” and it can be counterproductive to seek definitions that are too narrow. Because different groups adopt different interpretations to fit their understanding and purpose, however, there is confusion in their use. The confusion then extends to how a resilience approach (Holling 1973, Gunderson and Holling 2002) can contribute to the goals of sustainable development. In what follows, we provide an interpretation and an explanation of how these concepts are reflected in the adaptive cycles of complex, multi-scalar SESs. We need a better scientific basis for sustainable development than is generally applied (e.g., a new “sustainability science”). The “Consortium for Sustainable Development” (of the International Council for Science, the Initiative on Science and Technology for Sustainability, and the Third World Academy of Science), the US National Research Council (1999, 2002), and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2003), have all focused increasing attention on such notions as robustness, vulnerability, and risk. There is good reason for this, as it is these characteristics of social–ecological systems (SESs) that will determine their ability to adapt to and benefit from change. In particular, the stability dynamics of all linked systems of humans and nature emerge from three complementary attributes: resilience, adaptability, and transformability. The purpose of this paper is to examine these three attributes; what they mean, how they interact, and their implications for our future well-being. There is little fundamentally new theory in this paper. What is new is that it uses established theory of nonlinear stability (Levin 1999, Scheffer et al. 2001, Gunderson and Holling 2002, Berkes et al. 2003) to clarify, explain, and diagnose known examples of regional development, regional poverty, and regional CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Arizona State University Ecology and Society 9(2): 5. http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/iss2/art5 sustainability. These include, among others, the Everglades and the Wisconsin Northern Highlands Lake District in the USA, rangelands and an agricultural catchment in southeastern Australia, the semi-arid savanna in southeastern Zimbabwe, the Kristianstad “Water Kingdom” in southern Sweden, and the Mae Ping valley in northern Thailand. These regions provide examples of both successes and failures of development. Some from rich countries have generated several pulses of solutions over a span of a hundred years and have generated huge costs of recovery (the Everglades). Some from poor countries have emerged in a transformed way but then, in some cases, have been dragged back by higher-level autocratic regimes (Zimbabwe). Some began as localscale solutions and then developed as transformations across scales from local to regional (Kristianstad and northern Wisconsin). In all of them, the outcomes were determined by the interplay of their resilience, adaptability, and transformability. There is a major distinction between resilience and adaptability, on the one hand, and transformability on the other. Resilience and adaptability have to do with the dynamics of a particular system, or a closely related set of systems. Transformability refers to fundamentally altering the nature of a system. As with many terms under the resilience rubric, the dividing line between “closely related” and “fundamentally altered” can be fuzzy, and subject to interpretation. So we begin by first offering the most general, qualitative set of definitions, without reference to conceptual frameworks, that can be used to describe these terms. We then use some examples and the literature on “basins of attraction” and “stability landscapes” to further refine our definitions. Before giving the definitions, however, we need to briefly introduce the concept of adaptive cycles. Adaptive Cycles and Cross-scale Effects The dynamics of SESs can be usefully described and analyzed in terms of a cycle, known as an adaptive cycle, that passes through four phases. Two of them— a growth and exploitation phase (r) merging into a conservation phase (K)—comprise a slow, cumulative forward loop of the cycle, during which the dynamics of the system are reasonably predictable. As the K phase continues, resources become increasingly locked up and the system becomes progressively less flexible and responsive to external shocks. It is eventually, inevitably, followed by a chaotic collapse and release phase (Ω) that rapidly gives way to a phase of reorganization (α), which may be rapid or slow, and during which, innovation and new opportunities are possible. The Ω and α phases together comprise an unpredictable backloop. The α phase leads into a subsequent r phase, which may resemble the previous r phase or be significantly different. This metaphor of the adaptive cycle is based on observed system changes, and does not imply fixed, regular cycling. Systems can move back from K toward r, or from r directly into Ω, or back from α to Ω. Finally (and importantly), the cycles occur at a number of scales and SESs exist as “panarchies”— adaptive cycles interacting across multiple scales. These cross-scale effects are of great significance in the dynamics of SESs.
5,745 citations
TL;DR: The resilience perspective is increasingly used as an approach for understanding the dynamics of social-ecological systems as mentioned in this paper, which emphasizes non-linear dynamics, thresholds, uncertainty and surprise, how periods of gradual change interplay with periods of rapid change and how such dynamics interact across temporal and spatial scales.
Abstract: The resilience perspective is increasingly used as an approach for understanding the dynamics of social–ecological systems. This article presents the origin of the resilience perspective and provides an overview of its development to date. With roots in one branch of ecology and the discovery of multiple basins of attraction in ecosystems in the 1960–1970s, it inspired social and environmental scientists to challenge the dominant stable equilibrium view. The resilience approach emphasizes non-linear dynamics, thresholds, uncertainty and surprise, how periods of gradual change interplay with periods of rapid change and how such dynamics interact across temporal and spatial scales. The history was dominated by empirical observations of ecosystem dynamics interpreted in mathematical models, developing into the adaptive management approach for responding to ecosystem change. Serious attempts to integrate the social dimension is currently taking place in resilience work reflected in the large numbers of sciences involved in explorative studies and new discoveries of linked social–ecological systems. Recent advances include understanding of social processes like, social learning and social memory, mental models and knowledge–system integration, visioning and scenario building, leadership, agents and actor groups, social networks, institutional and organizational inertia and change, adaptive capacity, transformability and systems of adaptive governance that allow for management of essential ecosystem services.
4,899 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: The concept of sustainable rural livelihoods as discussed by the authors is based on capability, equity, and sustainability, each of which is both end and means, and is defined as: "a livelihood comprises people, their capabilities and their means of living, including food, income and assets".
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provoke discussion by exploring and elaborating the concept of sustainable livelihoods. It is based normatively on the ideas of capability, equity, and sustainability, each of which is both end and means. In the 21st century livelihoods will be needed by perhaps two or three times the present human population. A livelihood comprises people, their capabilities and their means of living, including food, income and assets. Tangible assets are resources and stores, and intangible assets are claims and access. A livelihood is environmentally sustainable when it maintains or enhances the local and global assets on which livelihoods depend, and has net beneficial effects on other livelihoods. A livelihood is socially sustainable which can cope with and recover from stress and shocks, and provide for future generations. For policy and practice, new concepts and analysis are needed. Future generations will vastly outnumber us but are not represented in our decision-making. Current and conventional analysis both undervalues future livelihoods and is pessimistic. Ways can be sought to multiply livelihoods by increasing resource-use intensity and the diversity and complexity of small-farming livelihood systems, and by small-scale economic synergy. Net sustainable livelihood effects and intensity are concepts which deserve to be tested. They entail weighing factors which include environmental and social sustainability, and net effects through competition and externalities. The objective of sustainable livelihoods for all provides a focus for anticipating the 21st century, and points to priorities for policy and research. For policy, implications include personal environmental balance sheets for the better off, and for the poorer, policies and actions to enhance capabilities, improve equity, and increase social sustainability. For research, key questions are better understanding of (a) conditions for low human fertility, (b) intensity, complexity and diversity in small-farming systems, © the livelihood-intensity of local economies, and (d) factors influencing migration. Practical development and testing of concepts and methods are indicated. For the reader, there is a challenge to examine this paper from the perspective of a person alive in a hundred years’ time, and then to do better than the authors have done. Gordon Conway is Representative for the Ford Foundation in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He was previously Professor and Chairman of the Centre for Environmental Technology at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. In the mid 1980s, he also established the Sustainable Agriculture Programme at the International Institute for Environment and Development in London. He has worked extensively in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, mostly on issues of agriculture and environment. For comments on an earlier draft we are grateful to John Lawton, Melissa Leach, and Michel Pimbert. The views expressed are ours and should not be attributed to the Institute of Development Studies or the Ford Foundation. URI http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/123456789/775 Citation Chambers, R. and Conway, G. (1992) Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Practical Concepts for the 21st Century, IDS Discussion Paper 296, Brighton: IDS Is part of series IDS Discussion Paper;296 Library catalogue entry http://bldscat.ids.ac.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?q=rn:90567 Rights holder Institute of Development Studies Sustainable rural livelihoods: practical concepts for the 21st century
3,945 citations