2.3. Context of Vulnerability

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 vulnerabilities or exogenous variables, which are factors outside of our control that can affect our well-being. These factors include various shocks, such as natural disasters or epidemics, and they shape our exposure to risks. It’s not just about the presence of these shocks but also about one's level of defenselessness against them.

Consider a community living in a flood-prone area. They may not be able to control when or where a flood occurs, which is an external shock. However, those with better infrastructure and resources may manage this vulnerability better than those living in poorly constructed homes without access to emergency services.

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.

This chunk explains that the double structure of vulnerability consists of two main components: exposure and sensitivity. Exposure refers to our susceptibility to external shocks, and according to Bohle, we can analyze this exposure through three dimensions: human ecological perspective, entitlement (people's access to resources), and political-economic approach (inequalities and power structures). These dimensions help us understand the broader context of vulnerability.

Imagine a farmer who relies on seasonal rains for their crops. If rainfall patterns change due to climate change (an external shock), the farmer's livelihood becomes vulnerable. Understanding their exposure involves looking at their ability to adapt to changes (human ecology), their access to irrigation systems (entitlement), and the economic policies that affect agricultural support (political-economic structures).

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.

This chunk discusses how understanding vulnerability requires examining people's coping strategies, especially in crisis situations. It incorporates ideas from conflict studies regarding access to resources. Individuals and groups may compete for limited resources, which can exacerbate vulnerability during crises. The ability to cope with adversity relies on access to various forms of capital, such as social networks and financial resources.

During a natural disaster like a hurricane, communities with strong social networks—such as neighbors who look out for each other—may fare better than isolated individuals. Access to shelters, food supplies, and medical care can turn the tide in how well people cope with 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. So, this idea came originally developed by famous person Robert Chambers and Conway in 1992.

This chunk introduces the Sustainable Livelihood Framework developed by Robert Chambers and Conway in 1992. While it is not solely focused on vulnerability, it is a foundational concept often applied to disaster risk management. The framework emphasizes the importance of people and their livelihoods, suggesting that vulnerability is closely tied to their capacity to sustain their livelihood amidst shocks.

Think of a fishing community that relies on regular fish catches for their income. If a hurricane disrupts their fishing season, their ability to recover depends on how sustainable their livelihoods are—do they have savings, alternative job skills, or community support to weather the crisis?

So, vulnerability context is defined with 3 characteristics that people are at vulnerable because shock, trends, and seasonality.

This chunk explains that the context of vulnerability comprises three characteristics: shocks, trends, and seasonality. Shocks include sudden events like natural disasters or economic downturns. Trends refer to gradual changes, such as population growth or environmental degradation. Seasonality captures the cyclical nature of some vulnerabilities, like the agricultural calendar affecting food availability.

For an agricultural community, seasonal fluctuations in crop prices can significantly impact food security. During a drought (shock), there may be limited food availability, exacerbating the issues caused by ongoing population growth (trend) and seasonal job availability in agriculture (seasonality) that leaves families struggling to make ends meet.

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 in case of Syria or in many other countries.

This chunk outlines different types of shocks that can contribute to vulnerability. Natural shocks include disasters like floods and droughts. Health shocks might involve disease outbreaks, while economic shocks refer to financial downturns or personal losses, such as the death of a breadwinner. Additionally, social violence, like civil war, is also highlighted as a significant factor impacting vulnerability.

In war-torn regions like Syria, families often face multiple shocks at once—violence displaces them, economic instability reduces access to food, and health epidemics can spread rapidly without adequate healthcare. Each of these shocks compounds their overall 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 chunk further highlights that trends and seasonality also impact vulnerability. Seasonal shifts in prices of agricultural produce can affect livelihoods significantly. If crops yield low output due to adverse weather, the price increases, leading to reduced availability for those reliant on them.

In many parts of the world, farmers face seasonal price changes. If a farmer grows rice, they might see good profits during a surplus season, but during a drought when rice is scarce, prices will jump. Yet, it's the poorer households that might not afford even the higher prices during droughts, highlighting their vulnerability.

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