Cluster 5- Interdisciplinary Knowledge Synthesis of PHOENIX
The main objectives of this research cluster are to examine the correspondences between the various disciplines studying mobility, Global Change and resilience brought together during the course of the project. By synthesizing the project results regarding climate mobilities and risks, politics of food and mental health, and socio-cultural transformations, this cluster adds to the interdisciplinary diagnostic and prognostic toolbox of Global Change and mobility, vulnerability and resilience assessment, ensuring maximum impact for PHOENIX.
A promising interdisciplinary avenue to explore in regards to strengthening humanity’s resilience to socio environmental Global Challenges is to learn from the systems and processes of natural ecosystems, such as balancing a system’s efficiency and diversity/redundancy, modularity, a longterm perspective toward the cyclical nature of tipping points, adaptability, and bouncing-forward (Kharrazi et al., 2016; 2020). In nature, such systems-level approaches towards strengthening resilience are advanced concurrent to growth and development. Human-centered systems, however, have traditionally been resistant to investing towards resilience as it has been viewed as weakening the efficiency of growth. However, these nature-inspired solutions to resilience could bring new insights for solutions to Global Challenges and transform our perception of resilience not as a cost to growth and development but as a critical ‘public good’.
Tasks
1. STP Modeling. The first task is to inductively trace and map the puzzles to which resilience, coping, justice and resistance is presented as a solution when confronting Global Change (eg. Sen, 2009). We will then develop a model of environmental, governance, and political indicators; economic, social, and cultural drivers by gender, race, generation and geographical region; and ICT enabled social capital with regards to (im-)mobility and vulnerability based on the database created in Cluster 1 and the findings of Cluster 2-4. We will identify the factors that impact STPs as follows:
1) Governance: in combination with what factors does meta-governance failure contribute to STPs?
2) Food security and belonging: in combination with what factors do food issues become STPs?
3) Community survival and resilience: in combination with what factors does fear about cultural survival become a STP? The goal of this interdisciplinary model will be to identify the a) relevant, but often overlooked sub-policy areas (i.e., agriculture, health, cultural identities and diversification); b) local-transnational governance effects, gaps, overlaps and failures; c) contextual factors - economic, social, cultural and historical - that create vulnerabilities and (im-)mobilities; d) the role of agency in determining the impact and experience of STPs.
2. Identifying Hotspots and develop scenarios. Based on the abovementioned STP modeling and the potential use of nature-inspired resilience frameworks, in a brainstorming workshop we will identify hotspots of migration and develop different scenarios to specify nodal risks and opportunities for interventions to strengthen resilience. Findings will be reflected in a report. (All)
3. Organize an academic workshop and write an edited volume. The contributions of the workshop on Human Mobility, Global Challenges and Resilience in an Age of Social Stress and Societal Transformations.
Leading
Ali Kharrazi
Title: Senior Research Scholar
E-mail: kharrazi@iiasa.ac.at
Primary Organization: IIASA
Research Area (s): Environmental sciences, Climatology, Physical sciences not elsewhere classified, Statistical modelling, Information modelling