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The Human Ecology Forum for 20th November 2009:
PLEASE NOTE: for 2009 the Human Ecology Forum will be returning to its old operating time of 10am-12 noon.
Considering the value of 'resilience' - lessons from Australian droughts.
Forum Theme: No Themes!
Daniela Stehlik - Curtin University, WA
Abstract
An increasingly common way of describing rural communities in Australia is that they are ‘resilient’ – in other words, because they have much to endure they have to be capable of doing so. Not surprisingly, we rarely hear urban or suburban communities described in this way. How 'resilience' used in the context of drought and drought policy is the focus of this paper.
This presentation challenges some of the commonplace assumptions about community capacity for so-called ‘resiliency’. While rural and remote communities are burdened by pressures associated with demographic changes; climate variability; lack of resources, such as energy, water and infrastructure and of course, financial market fluctuations – should they be asked to put up with more than is expected of the rest of others?
This presentation draws on recent experience and examples from the Expert Panel on the Social Impacts of Drought in Australia Report to argue that pathways to flourishing rural communities begins with a first step: that of reconsidering the barriers associated with assumptions about 'community capacity' and 'resilience' inherent in our current practices.
Biography
Professor Daniela Stehlik is Foundation Chair, Stronger Communities at Curtin Universty of Technology. In 2008 Professor Stehlik was a member of the Expert Social Panel on the Federal Review of Drought Policy. She is currently a Program Visitor with the Political Science Program at RSSS.
Past Forum Presenters:
For previous presentations from 2009, please go to the 2009 archive.
Photography courtesy of Alan Fox
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