An indicator framework for assessing livelihood resilience in the context of social–ecological dynamics

Ifejika Speranza, Chinwe; Wiesmann, Urs Martin; Rist, Stephan (2014). An indicator framework for assessing livelihood resilience in the context of social–ecological dynamics. Global environmental change, 28, pp. 109-119. Elsevier 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.06.005

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Livelihood resilience draws attention to the factors and processes that keep livelihoods functioning despite change and thus enriches the livelihood approach which puts people, their differential capabilities to cope with shocks and how to reduce poverty and improve adaptive capacity at the centre of analysis. However, the few studies addressing resilience from a livelihood perspective take different approaches and focus only on some dimensions of livelihoods. This paper presents a framework that can be used for a comprehensive empirical analysis of livelihood resilience. We use a concept of resilience that considers agency as well as structure. A review of both theoretical and empirical literature related to livelihoods and resilience served as the basis to integrate the perspectives. The paper identifies the attributes and indicators of the three dimensions of resilience, namely, buffer capacity, self-organisation and capacity for learning. The framework has not yet been systematically tested; however, potentials and limitations of the components of the framework are explored and discussed by drawing on empirical examples from literature on farming systems. Besides providing a basis for applying the resilience concept in livelihood-oriented research, the framework offers a way to communicate with practitioners on identifying and improving the factors that build resilience. It can thus serve as a tool for monitoring the effectiveness of policies and practices aimed at building livelihood resilience.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Geographies of Sustainability
10 Strategic Research Centers > Centre for Development and Environment (CDE)
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Geographies of Sustainability > Unit Critical Sustainability Studies (CSS)
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Geographies of Sustainability > Unit Land Systems and Sustainable Land Management (LS-SLM)
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography

UniBE Contributor:

Ifejika Speranza, Chinwe, Wiesmann, Urs Martin, Rist, Stephan

Subjects:

300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 330 Economics

ISSN:

0959-3780

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Monika Wälti-Stampfli

Date Deposited:

12 Jan 2015 14:08

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:39

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.06.005

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Livelihood resilience, Buffer capacity, Self-organisation, Learning, Adaptation, Vulnerability

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.61525

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/61525

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