Resilience in Pacific Towns and Cities: The Social Dimensions of Change

Abstract

The term ‘urban resilience’ has become a buzz word in development planning and humanitarian domains. The application of urban resilience varies between sectors and disciplines, but there has been a gradual shift from a narrow focus on disasters and climate change response to additional issues related to demographic change, human security, and inclusive governance. This chapter seeks to gain a deeper understanding of urban resilience in the Pacific by presenting: (i) an analytical framework focused on four key elements — responsiveness, adaptation, facilitation and transformation (RAFT); (ii) critical reflections on current practice; (iii) how human development contexts are understood (if at all) when applying resilience approaches, and (iv) implications for research and practice. The main thesis of the chapter is that the development context should shape how urban resilience is applied, with attention to cultural values, formal and informal institutional arrangements, and service access. Building the adaptive capacity of multiple stakeholders is crucial to urban resilience, and the achievement of inclusive and sustainable cities. Securing urban resilience can involve adaptation of current systems, but at times it will also require social and physical transformations. Show more