2. Methodology

There is also sustainable livelihoods framework which talks about the asset framework where it is a different model in 1997, which they have developed how the individuals or a groups access the resources which are basically an assets to organize their livelihoods and how the capacities make them able to act engage and change the world.

The sustainable livelihoods framework is a model that was developed in 1997 to help understand how individuals or groups utilize resources to make a living. It emphasizes that people have various assets—like financial, social, and physical resources—that help them in organizing their livelihoods. These assets empower them to act, engage in their communities, and ultimately create positive change in their surroundings.

Think of a small farmer who has access to land (physical asset), knowledge about farming (human asset), and a network of friends who can lend help (social asset). Utilizing these resources, the farmer can adapt to challenges like droughts or pests, ensuring they continue to thrive and support their community.

But here, the thing is it is not just for the economic necessity where households or groups act upon. But it is with the cultural factors which people manage the results and make their livelihood choices to act upon.

While economic needs are a significant driving force behind how households and groups make decisions about their livelihoods, cultural factors also play a crucial role. People's cultural backgrounds, traditions, and values influence their choices and how they respond to challenges. This highlights that decision-making is not purely about financial resources but is intertwined with social and cultural contexts.

Consider a community of fishers who decide to continue traditional fishing methods, not just because they are effective, but because it connects them with their heritage and family practices. Their choice reflects a deep-rooted cultural identity rather than just economic efficiency.

I am looking from my ontological perspective, the built environment perspective and especially, in a disaster context, so that is where I started reviewing a variety of literature starting from Bourdieu’s cultural capital.

The methodology focuses on understanding how culture intersects with disaster recovery within built environments. The researcher begins by reviewing existing literature on cultural capital, following theories by noted scholars. This academic exploration aims to construct a framework that appreciates cultural dimensions alongside disaster and development processes.

Imagine a researcher studying how different neighborhoods recover from a hurricane. They might look at how the cultural practices of diverse communities influence their recovery efforts, gathering insights from prior studies that discuss the value of cultural heritage in rebuilding efforts.

And similarly, I spoke about the Bourdieu’s theory which talks about the cultural capital which is the inherited capital, the objectified capital and the institutional capital inherited which is basically, an inbuilt with what the qualities you achieve from your family and through your socialization process.

Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital categorizes the resources and advantages individuals inherit from their families and broader society. This includes inherited skills, status-associated symbols (objectified capital like art), and educational credentials (institutional capital). These forms of cultural capital shape individuals' identities and influence their actions and decisions, especially in the context of recovery from disasters.

Consider a college student whose parents are academics. This student benefits from their family's knowledge about higher education, study habits, and cultural expectations. Their academic success is partly due to this cultural capital, similar to how communities leverage their social and cultural backgrounds to navigate recovery after disasters.

So, I have adopted Lim’s model of cultural environment. Which she calls it is a kind of matrix of religion, ecological environment, economy, family structure, kinship, gender roles, politics, cultural interaction.

Lim's model proposes a matrix that assesses multiple dimensions of culture, including religion, the ecological environment, and social structures such as family and kinship. This multi-faceted view allows researchers to understand how these interconnected elements shape community responses to disasters, highlighting the complexity of cultural influences on recovery.

Imagine a community recovering from a flood. Lim’s model could help analyze how local religious practices (like communal prayers), economic structures (like fishing cooperatives), and family networks influence their recovery strategies. This approach captures the richness of cultural interactions impacting recovery efforts.

So, my research question talks about how to understand the role of culture in the post disaster recovery process and its relation to the vulnerability, especially, in particular to the built environment of affected traditional settlements.

The key research question directs the focus towards understanding the interplay between culture and post-disaster recovery. It aims to dissect how cultural factors affect the vulnerability of traditional settlements in the context of disaster recovery. This implies a critical look at both cultural practices and physical structures as they interact with recovery processes.

Similar to investigating how a small village might integrate its traditional crafts into rebuilding after a disaster, this question explores how local customs and architectural styles influence recovery efforts and the community's resilience.

So, what I did was I travelled around Tamilnadu, I have taken a lot of statistical information of the damage statistics what districts have been affected, what are the villages, what are the NGOs working on, what approaches they are doing whether they are doing Institute or a relocation and accordingly have visited about 17 villages along the stretch of Tamilnadu coast.

The research involves a case study approach where extensive travel throughout Tamilnadu allows the researcher to gather quantitative data on the damage from disasters and qualitative insights into community recovery processes. By visiting diverse villages, the researcher evaluates how different communities cope with disasters based on their unique contexts.

Think of a journalist traveling to cover a story about recoveries after a natural disaster. By visiting various impacted communities and interviewing residents, they gather stories that convey the human experience behind statistics. Similarly, the research captures both numbers and narratives to convey a comprehensive picture of disaster recovery.

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