(3 weeks)
Overview
This unit will build on the theoretical foundation built-in Unit 1 by focusing on how resilience is operationalized and assessed in practice. Where possible, this will include an assessment of the factors that motivate and justify certain approaches.
The current state of play for both risk and resilience (e.g., ongoing assessments, methodological innovations) will be explored via collaborative web searching, and through invited lectures by leading experts in the field. Acknowledging the relative conceptual and practical nascence of resilience assessment during this unit is essential; although the concept is well established, its widespread application, and empirical evaluation of existing applications, is not. This presents a learning opportunity, and also an opportunity to contribute to innovation within this field of practice.
A multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary approach will be used to critique assessments relating to infrastructure, ecosystems, communities, organizations, and sectors. The similarities and differences between risk, resilience, and capacity assessments will be discussed, as will the relationship with disaster risk reduction.
Activities & Assessment Overview
- Complete Unit 2 readings
- Complete Assignment 1, and consider preparing a blog past as part of Assignment 5 (participation)
- Complete Assignment 2, and consider preparing a blog past as part of Assignment 5 (participation)
- Contribute to the MACAL course community by posting questions, comments, and reflections in the course discussion forum.
Unit 2 Activity 1: Complete Unit 2 readings
The readings for this unit focus on operational conceptualizations of risk and resilience. Leading examples are surveyed in order to show how risk and resilience have been applied in various settings and sectors.
Unit 2 Activity 2: Complete Assignment 2
The objective of this assignment is to create a deeper understanding of risk and resilience assessments, and resilience strategies and plans. This includes motivations and justifications, the methods by which they are conducted, results and outputs, and the relationship to action planning and implementation.