APG5619 · Community resilience, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation

Overview

Factors such as climate change and inequity are increasing the frequency, impacts and complexity of many types of hazard events, including disasters, in many parts of the world. In this unit, you will explore two major international approaches to addressing these challenges: 1) the focus on strengthening community resilience which is essential for all countries: and 2) the emphasis on managing disaster risk, not only managing disasters, across all aspects of societies worldwide. You will begin this unit by exploring the context for the causes and determinants of disaster risk and events, the diversity of communities and how disasters actually, or potentially, threaten the social, economic, environmental, cultural and political status of communities, including the health, lives and livelihoods of people who are disproportionately affected. After a review of key national and international strategies and guidelines, and local and national systems for risk reduction and community resilience, you will consider deconstructing disaster risk and community resilience through multiples lenses, such as hazards, vulnerabilities, strengths and capabilities, as well as children, gender, nature and biodiversity, the built environment, indigenous ways of doing and being, health and psychology. These lenses offer conceptual frameworks and practical methods to strengthening community resilience and safety, and associated capabilities such as risk assessments, community engagement, assessing community resilience, local planning and community leadership; adaptation, capacity building, research and sustainable development in the setting of disasters, humanitarian crises and climate change.

Areas of study: Master of International Development Practice Master of International Relations Master of Public Policy

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment:100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. critically review the contexts, causes and determinants of disasters from global, regional, national, community and your own perspectives;
2. critically evaluate the literature, evidence-base, changing philosophies and practices for community resilience and disaster risk reduction;
3. analyse the unique challenges and opportunities for community resilience and disaster risk reduction, in terms of conceptual frameworks, and local and/or international standards and guidelines, through multiples lenses;
4. apply the principles and practices of community resilience and disaster risk reduction to your local and professional contexts;
5. discuss academic and practical resources available in this field, and identify education, research and career development opportunities for professional roles in community resilience and disaster risk reduction.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.