Environmental Studies - Community Resilience

Catalog description

This applied research course approaches resilience from a community and regional perspective. Defined broadly and proactively, resilience integrates and mutually-strengthens natural and human systems to capitalize on nature’s regenerative potential. Resilient communities can stand against nature in times of crisis, adapt to changing conditions, and are more efficient, livable, prosperous, and sustainable. Students will identify resilience approaches through directed readings, case study research, and presentations by subject matter experts. Teams will then survey and prioritize the challenges and opportunities facing real-world communities, apply and expand a resilience framework to grade the communities, and develop a screening-level resilience plan for community use. In doing so, students will: 1) Understand and apply resilience concepts and theories; 2) Identify and prioritize natural and human-made threats and challenges facing Great Plains and Midwestern U.S. communities over short- and long-term horizons; 3) Assess community capital stocks and resilience properties; 4) Compile research on resilient communities and develop tools and strategies; 5) Engage key community stakeholders; and 6) Develop and apply a vulnerability assessment and resilience framework for real-world application. This course is offered at the 400 and 700 level with additional assignments at the 700 level. Not open to freshmen or sophomores, or students with credit in EVRN 453.