Being Human: Rethinking Adaptation and Resilience

Abstract

Adaptability, resilience, and sustainability have become buzzwords that refer to notions about the properties of something, and an objective to be achieved and maintained, as well as human intentionality in processes of change. They are notions that were transferred between and beyond academic disciplines in the health and medical sciences, natural and physical sciences, and human and social sciences; and they are currently used in everyday language. How these notions are used regarding ecological hazards, financial risks, health threats, and social perils is influenced by numerous variables including individual and communal human factors. This article rethinks common interpretations of adaptability and resilience in the context of sustainability. It posits that human ecology provides a conceptual framework incorporating the diversity of their meanings and uses in a complex and heterogenous world. The article highlights that many contributions from authors in various disciplines have borrowed concepts and ideas from ecology, biology, and systems analysis but they have discounted the fundamental nature of being human, even when socio-ecological systems are studied. Then, the article explains the ingredients of an anthropo-logic, a core constituent of human ecology, which includes cultural and societal variables while recognizing individual and group differences. These variables can account for the diverse sometimes conflicting ways people perceive, understand, and respond to risks and threats to their lives and habitats. The article applies core principles of human ecology to comprehend contrasting responses to global change (including extreme weather events and repeated flooding in cities) in an increasingly polarized world.