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Resilience, Adaptation, and Inertia: Lessons from Disaster Recovery in a Time of Climate Change

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  • Christopher Plein

Abstract

Objectives To examine and assess sociocultural or socioeconomic inertia as an impediment to effective climate change policy response and practice. Methods Two core concepts to climate change policy response, “resilience” and “adaptation,” are seen as critical in disaster recovery strategies and practice. As ideal types, these concepts are coalescing in theory and gaining acceptance in the professional community, but not necessarily in practice. These concepts are explored through a study of disaster recovery efforts following the West Virginia floods of 2016. Results Disaster recovery strategies based on ideal forms of resilience and adaptation face significant barriers to adoption and practice. Disjunction between theory and practice constitutes one form of inertia. Other contributing factors include individual and collective behavior that resists change through social justification and insular forms of social capital. Institutional drag, in the form of waning political will and limited administrative capacity, also impedes adoption and use. Conclusion Sociocultural and socioeconomic inertia challenge the development of effective policies and practices to address climate change; social science can contribute to our understanding of these sources of constraint.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Plein, 2019. "Resilience, Adaptation, and Inertia: Lessons from Disaster Recovery in a Time of Climate Change," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 100(7), pages 2530-2541, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:100:y:2019:i:7:p:2530-2541
    DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12658
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    Cited by:

    1. Eunbin Chung & Inbok Rhee, 2022. "Disasters and intergroup peace in sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 59(1), pages 58-72, January.
    2. Rasool Mehdizadeh & Olivier Deck & Nathalie Pottier & Anne Péné-Annette, 2023. "Post-Disaster Reconstruction of Residential Buildings: Evolution of Structural Vulnerability on Caribbean Island of Saint Martin after Hurricane Irma," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Leanne Giordono & Hilary Boudet & Alexander Gard-Murray, 2020. "Local adaptation policy responses to extreme weather events," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 53(4), pages 609-636, December.
    4. Peter Tangney & Claire Nettle & Beverley Clarke & Joshua Newman & Cassandra Star, 2021. "Climate security in the Indo-Pacific: a systematic review of governance challenges for enhancing regional climate resilience," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 1-30, August.
    5. Alexandre O. Tavares & Neide P. Areia & Sinead Mellett & Julia James & Diego S. Intrigliolo & Laurence B. Couldrick & Jean-François Berthoumieu, 2020. "The European Media Portrayal of Climate Change: Implications for the Social Mobilization towards Climate Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-13, October.
    6. Gina Yannitell Reinhardt & Carmela Lutmar, 2022. "Disaster diplomacy: The intricate links between disaster and conflict," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 59(1), pages 3-11, January.

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