2.4. Characteristics of Vulnerability Context

On the other hand, we have external one which we cannot less control, is an exogenous variable. What are they? External variables is considered in this double structure of vulnerability as exposure. So, exposure to what, some shock or some events like it depends on what kind of shocks, is it natural phenomena or some epidemics or not merely a kind of special exposure but how defenseless like I am for that one.

This chunk introduces the concept of external or exogenous variables that influence vulnerability. These external factors are considered 'exposure.' Exposure can arise from different types of shocks—natural disasters, epidemics, or other significant events that affect people's lives. The degree of vulnerability also depends on how defenseless an individual or community feels in facing these shocks.

Consider a coastal village that experiences frequent hurricanes. For the villagers, hurricanes are an external shock. If they have strong building codes and support systems, they might feel less vulnerable. But if they lack these systems, their defenselessness increases, making them more vulnerable to the impacts of the hurricane.

So, double structure of vulnerability, two components; one is the exposure one and this exposure one according to Bohle that we can understand this exposure context from 3 different dimensions. One is human ecological perspective, population dynamics, capacity to manage the environment, population growth, and how human ecology is looking at population growth and the capacity to manage the environment.

This chunk highlights Bohle's framework on analyzing exposure through three dimensions. The first dimension is the human ecological perspective, which includes aspects like population growth and the ability to manage the environment. Understanding these dimensions helps assess how communities interact with external factors that affect their vulnerability.

Imagine a city experiencing rapid population growth due to migration. If the city isn't able to expand its infrastructure and resources (like schools, hospitals, and housing), it becomes harder for residents to manage their environment, increasing their vulnerability to crises like overcrowding and resource shortages.

And also the entitlement theory, the capacity theory and that the people have for control and to get to secure the means of their economic needs. And also the political-economic approach like the question of inequalities or disparities of assets, the power structures.

In this chunk, entitlement theory and capacity theory are introduced as ways to look at how people can secure their economic needs and the disparities that might exist. The political-economic approach emphasizes issues like inequality and asset distribution, which can affect vulnerability. These theories together offer a comprehensive way to understand how economic and social factors contribute to vulnerability.

Consider two communities: one in a wealthy area with many resources, and another in a poverty-stricken region. Residents in the wealthy area have better access to education and healthcare, making them more capable of securing their livelihood compared to those in the impoverished community, who might struggle with basic needs.

Well to understand people's coping, we can also borrow the ideas from crisis and conflict kind of studies, who have the access to assets and resources and how it matter of conflict between individuals and groups or maybe sometimes action theory approaches, how people act, react frequently as a result of social-economic and governmental constraints and model access to assets like a mitigation of vulnerability through access.

This chunk discusses the importance of understanding people's coping strategies in response to vulnerability. It references crisis and conflict studies, which analyze how access to resources can become a source of conflict. Additionally, action theory approaches emphasize how social, economic, and governmental pressures influence individual and group behavior in times of crisis.

Think of a family that has access to financial resources during a natural disaster. They might be able to afford evacuation or repairs, while another family without these resources may struggle and remain in a vulnerable situation. This difference in resource access affects their ability to cope and respond effectively to the disaster.

There is another more prominent and very popular conceptual idea of vulnerability is the sustainable livelihood framework. It is not really on vulnerability, but they are one of the pioneering approach that define and quoted the vulnerability and which was now very regularly used in disaster risk and other risk management.

This chunk introduces the sustainable livelihood framework, which, although not primarily about vulnerability, provides a useful lens through which to view it. This framework emphasizes how people's livelihoods can be sustained despite challenges and risks, and it was developed by Robert Chambers and Conway in 1992. Understanding this framework gives insight into the broader context of vulnerability in disaster risk management.

Consider a farmer who diversifies his crops to include drought-resistant species. This diversification represents a sustainable livelihood approach, allowing him to maintain his income and food supply despite potential drought, thereby reducing his vulnerability.

So, vulnerability is directly connected with people's livelihood and their capacity to manage their livelihood basically. And two major components here, one is the sustainability, and livelihood. So, a livelihood becomes sustainable in different conditions or a livelihood should be considered as sustainable.

Here, the connection between vulnerability and livelihood is established, highlighting two key components: sustainability and the capacity to manage livelihoods. A sustainable livelihood is one that can withstand external shocks, such as natural disasters, and doesn't rely heavily on external support. This understanding is crucial for recognizing how livelihoods contribute to vulnerability.

Think about a family that grows their own food and has savings in a community bank. When faced with a sudden storm, they can rely on their own resources to weather the storm, demonstrating sustainability and resilience, while others who depend solely on external aid may find themselves in a more vulnerable position.

According to this model, people are actually operating, you know they are working in a context of vulnerability. What is the context of vulnerability? So, vulnerability context is defined with 3 characteristics that people are at vulnerable because shock, trends, and seasonality.

This part explains that people operate within a vulnerability context defined by three characteristics: shocks, trends, and seasonality. Understanding these factors is essential for assessing the risks individuals and communities face and how these risks impact their vulnerability.

Imagine farmers who rely on seasonal rains for their crops. If they face a drought (a shock), along with long-term trends of changing climate patterns, they find their farming vulnerable. Recognizing these elements helps us understand the precariousness of their situation.

So what are the shocks? One is the natural shocks like flood, drought, and cyclone. And health shocks like epidemic like cholera or even dengue let us say, or economic shocks like some financial recessions or maybe death in the family for a household or maybe violence like civil war...

This chunk enumerates different types of shocks that can affect vulnerability, including natural disasters (like floods), health crises (like epidemics), economic downturns, and social unrest (like civil war). Recognizing these shocks helps identify the specific vulnerabilities communities may face.

Consider a community that faces a cyclone followed by a drop in economic activity due to a recession. The cyclone causes immediate destruction, while the recession limits their ability to recover economically, creating a compounded vulnerability.

Another one is the seasonality and seasonal shift in price like the price of the crops of the food for the agricultural labor or the productions because of production is low or high, because of climate change maybe the production is not so high this year.

This section discusses how seasonality and trends, such as price fluctuations and climate impact on agricultural production, contribute to vulnerability. Changes in these factors can significantly affect people’s capacities to sustain their livelihoods, illustrating how vulnerability is affected by time-dependent factors.

Think of farmers whose income varies based on the season. If they experience a bumper crop one year (high production) but a drought the next year (low production), their economic stability may fluctuate dramatically, leading to varying levels of vulnerability throughout the years.

Now, this vulnerability context actually, this is the poor people and is affecting their household capacity or their own individual capacity. So, they have actually different kind of capitals or capacities. One is a human capital, social capital, financial capital and physical capital.

This part clarifies that the context of vulnerability also relates to the different types of capitals that individuals possess: human, social, financial, and physical. These capitals interact with one another, potentially increasing or decreasing an individual's or community's vulnerability.

Consider a person with good education (human capital), a strong network of friends and family (social capital), a stable income (financial capital), and a house (physical capital). This individual is likely better equipped to face shocks compared to someone lacking in one or more of these areas, showcasing how various capitals impact vulnerability.

So, how one look into these livelihood assets or capitals? Livelihood assets we say that there are 5 capitals; human capital, social capital, physical capital, financial capital, and natural capital.

This section emphasizes that there are five types of livelihood assets, or capitals, that are essential for managing vulnerability: human, social, physical, financial, and natural capital. Each type plays a role in determining how well individuals can cope with shocks and sustain their livelihoods.

A community rich in natural resources (natural capital), such as forests and water sources, can support its members’ livelihoods more effectively than a community that lacks these resources. This shows how natural capital can directly contribute to the economic stability and resilience of a community.

And human capital; knowledge and skill like education or good health I am capable person, nutrition I am getting enough food, nutritious food, ability to labor I can work, I can give my labor, capacity to adapt, in any situation, I can adapt culturally.

This chunk focuses on human capital, which includes education, skills, health, and adaptability. Possessing strong human capital enables individuals to effectively respond to challenges and improve their circumstances, ultimately reducing their vulnerability.

A person who has received education and training can often find better job opportunities compared to someone without these qualifications. This ability to secure better employment reduces their vulnerability to economic shocks compared to those lacking it.

And social capital, of course my network, network works very well, my human networks, connections with each other or membership in a group, formal and informal.

This part explains social capital, highlighting the importance of connections and networks in enhancing resilience. Individuals who are part of strong social networks can access support and resources more easily, which helps in coping with adversities and reduces vulnerability.

Think of a community experiencing a flood. Those with strong social ties can quickly communicate about evacuation plans and share resources, while those without such connections may struggle to seek help, emphasizing the importance of social capital in times of crisis.

If I am outcasted, I have less networks, it actually increases my exposure to a hazard, to a threat, to a risk.

This section discusses how being excluded or marginalized from social networks can heighten vulnerability. Lack of social ties can leave individuals more exposed to risks without access to support when facing adverse situations.

Consider a new family that moves into a neighborhood but struggles to fit in. Without a social network, they may lack access to crucial information or assistance in emergencies, making them vulnerable compared to well-integrated neighbors who can rely on each other.

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