Living in a “double quarantine”: a qualitative case study on the role of social capital for frontline communities’ adaptive capacity during compounding events
Topics:
Keywords: Social capital, qualitative, interviews, compounding events, community-engaged research, climate justice
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract
Authors:
Stephanie L Fischer, Stanford University, Doerr School of Sustainability
Francisca N Santana, University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, Stanford University, Doerr School of Sustainability
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
Abstract
A concerning dimension of climate change is the increasing severity and frequency of co-occurring climate and health-related events, known as compound events. Compound events are also a climate justice issue: frontline communities, who already respond to intersectional social inequities and disproportionate exposure of climate hazards, experience exacerbated risk due to compound events. Social capital, a widely explored theory in disaster research and climate adaptation, suggests that higher levels of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital improve post-disaster outcomes. However, more research is needed to center the needs and expertise of frontline communities. Understanding how individuals in frontline communities make decisions during compound events can provide insight for institutions seeking to support community adaptive capacity and equitable disaster response.
In this community-initiated case study, we interviewed 40 individuals living in frontline communities in the San Francisco Bay Area, which experienced the compound event of extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020. Akin to previous social capital literature, most participants (n=35) mentioned family, friends, and neighbors (bonding social capital) as essential for social and emotional support. Additionally, many participants (n=25) cited these connections as integral in accessing and learning about institutional resources, blurring previous distinctions of bonding and linking social capital. When creating policies to address co-occurring climate and health-related hazards, we suggest that policymakers prioritize support for existing community-led strategies. Providing accessible and informed institutional support to frontline communities can scale their expertise and advance climate justice in the face of multiple hazards.
Living in a “double quarantine”: a qualitative case study on the role of social capital for frontline communities’ adaptive capacity during compounding events
Category
Paper Abstract
Description
Submitted by:
Stephanie Fischer Stanford University
fischer9@stanford.edu
This abstract is part of a session. Click here to view the session.
| Slides