Societal Resilience in the Earth System

Climate and environmental changes (CEC), which are at the core of all working groups within the InTRES platform for Integrative and Transformative Research on Earth and Societies, are increasingly shaping the lives of millions of people and endangering local economic, political, and social systems. These changes encounter varying degrees of vulnerability and resilience among individuals and social groups, which are, in turn, shaped by socio-economic, political, cultural, and ecological factors.

The working group aims to better understand the interrelations and interactions of these factors, which are each the focus of different disciplines involved in the WG. In doing so, we draw on the concept of resilience, defined as “the ability of groups or communities to cope with external stresses and disturbances as a result of social, political, and environmental change” (Adger, 2000: 347). This concept allows for an interdisciplinary approach (see Folke, 2006), though its implicit normativity (who must adapt to what and how) (see e.g., Kuhlicke, 2013) must also be critically examined.

The working group pursues three distinct research priorities: migration, space, and the relationship between natural resources and peace/conflict. The common thread connecting these research areas is a critical focus on societal resilience. We investigate adaptation processes of social collectives—from the village level to the international community—to climate and environmental change, analysing them on individual, group, and state levels. Conflict and cooperation dynamics also play a significant role here.