3 - Dharavi Community Understanding
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Understanding Community Adaptation
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Today, we're going to explore how communities, specifically Dharavi, adapt to disasters. Can anyone think of an example of how individuals might change their environment after a disaster?
Maybe they start using their house as a shop to earn money?
Exactly! Such as transforming homes into business spaces after a tsunami. This leads us to discuss cultural adaptability. How does that concept fit in here?
I think it means how traditions change over time with new needs.
Right! It highlights how community structures evolve. Remember the acronym CAR—Change, Adaptation, Resilience—to help you recall these concepts.
So, CAR emphasizes the three steps for communities to adjust post-disaster?
Precisely! Now, can anyone summarize what we’ve discussed about community modifications?
Communities change their spaces and ways of living to cope and rebuild after disasters, which shows their resilience.
Great summary! Always keep CAR in mind as you think about other examples as well.
Cultural and Built Environment Changes
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Let's now talk about built environment changes. How might cultural practices reshape public spaces?
They could make public spaces more communal, like areas for worship or gatherings.
Exactly, and sometimes, these spaces can become hybrid, reflecting both tradition and modern needs. Can anyone elaborate on why this evolution matters?
It shows resilience and the ability to adapt to new circumstances while keeping cultural identity.
Very well said! To remember this, think of the mnemonic 'PETS'—Public spaces, Evolving, Traditional, Social. Who can give a real-life example of this?
In Dharavi, a toilet might become a communal worship area, showing adaptability.
Excellent! Such transformations highlight the integration of cultural practices in urban design.
Role of Organizations and Networks
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Now, let’s discuss the role of organizations in community networks. Why do you think organizations are vital for community adaptation?
They can help provide resources and guidance to the community for rebuilding.
Exactly! Organizations play roles in both macro and micro levels. Can anyone give an example of organizations helping communities?
The coffee growers' associations in Columbia support each other through funding and knowledge sharing.
Great point! These collaborative networks are essential for resilience. Remember the concept of CURE—Collaboration, Unity, Resilience, Empowerment. How can we see these functions in Dharavi?
Local NGOs work with the community to help renters and others who are usually ignored.
That's correct! Summarizing today’s session: organizations strengthen communities by fostering collaboration and providing vital resources.
Introduction & Overview
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Quick Overview
Standard
This section focuses on the participatory approaches used by the Dharavi community for adaptation and resilience, highlighting how community members modify their built environments and social networks to cope with changes such as disasters. It emphasizes the importance of cultural adaptability and the evolving dynamics of public spaces.
Detailed
Detailed Summary of Dharavi Community Understanding
This section delves into the complexities of community adaptations within Dharavi, particularly in response to challenges such as disasters. It discusses various approaches to understanding and engaging with the community, including social level and participatory methods.
Key themes include:
- Adaptation Strategies: The changes made by individuals, such as converting homes into businesses or worship areas after a disaster, demonstrating resilience and ingenuity.
- Cultural Adaptability: The section highlights how traditions adapt over time, influencing built forms and public spaces in Dharavi, showcasing a hybrid form of cultural expression influenced by modern needs.
- Community Networks: A discussion on the critical roles of various organizations at both macro and micro levels in facilitating community engagement and responsiveness.
- Case Studies: Comparative examples from other contexts, such as coffee growers in Columbia and renters in Turkey, underline the importance of participatory frameworks and technical support.
The section ends on the importance of placing people at the center of planning processes, which is essential for building more resilient communities.
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Audio Book
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Community Adaptation Post-Tsunami
Chapter 1 of 7
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Chapter Content
How adaptation starts, how a small house, how a toilet becomes a worship area, how a woman who lost her husband has shifted her house front as a shop so, in that way, they started encroaching the neighbourhood lands for their public places. This brings a larger perspective of the built environment perspective.
Detailed Explanation
In this chunk, we discuss how the community in Dharavi adapted after the tsunami. The examples illustrate how individuals changed their living situations to meet their needs. For instance, a woman's loss led her to turn part of her home into a shop, showing resilience and innovation. Also, the transformation of sanitation spaces into areas of worship indicates a blend of functionality and cultural expression, reflecting the community's dynamic use of the built environment.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine after a disaster, a family needs to find new ways to survive. Just like a baker on the street might turn part of their kitchen into a small shop to sell bread to neighbors, community members in Dharavi adapted their homes in creative ways to support themselves and each other.
Changing Built Forms and Street Networks
Chapter 2 of 7
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Chapter Content
One has to look at the cultural adaptability and how things have been modified in terms of their built forms, street networks, and public spaces. Tradition comes back in new, hybrid forms.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk highlights the importance of cultural adaptability in architecture and community design. It discusses how over time, traditional designs and street layouts have evolved while still retaining cultural significance. For example, new buildings might incorporate older architectural styles, creating a hybrid that respects the past while serving contemporary needs.
Examples & Analogies
Think about how many modern homes incorporate design elements from older styles. Just like how a home might have a classic fireplace but modern amenities, the structures in Dharavi blend old cultural influences with new developments, creating something unique and functional.
Network and Process Discussions
Chapter 3 of 7
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Chapter Content
What we discussed is about the process and the networks; how the organizations have dealt with the communities and how it has been networked from a very macro level to the micro-level agency.
Detailed Explanation
This part discusses the importance of networks in community development. It examines how larger organizations work with smaller community agencies to create effective strategies for dealing with challenges. The collaboration between macro-level organizations and micro-level agencies helps ensure that local voices are heard and that solutions are tailored to the community's specific needs.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a large charity that partners with a small local group to provide resources to a neighborhood. The larger organization might supply funds and expertise, while the local group understands the specific needs of the community and can effectively communicate those needs to the larger partner, creating a successful partnership.
Participatory Approaches in Development
Chapter 4 of 7
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Chapter Content
The discussions talk about the participation process and the facilitation process, including control mechanisms, who controls what, and the facilitators' roles.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk examines participatory approaches to community development, which emphasize the involvement of community members in decision-making processes. Control mechanisms are important as they determine who has a say in the process, making it essential for facilitators to balance power dynamics and ensure that everyone is heard.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine planning a community event where all members can voice their ideas. If one person dominates the discussion, the event may not reflect the community's desires. Effective facilitators make sure that each voice is valued, allowing for a collaborative and more effective event that represents the whole community.
Centrality of People in Case Studies
Chapter 5 of 7
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Chapter Content
In all these case studies we have discussed, our focus has been on putting people in the center.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk emphasizes that successful community development should prioritize the needs and perspectives of the people involved. By centering on human experiences and opinions, the approaches discussed are more likely to be effective and sustainable. Community engagement leads to better understanding and solutions tailored to the specific context of the community.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a school designing a new curriculum; if the needs and interests of the students are not prioritized, the curriculum may fail to engage them. However, by involving students in the discussions, the curriculum can be shaped to meet their needs, just like how people-centered approaches lead to better community outcomes.
Understanding Risks and Community Assessment
Chapter 6 of 7
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Chapter Content
Shubho discussed about his Dharavi work in Bombay and how the communities have understood the risk potential and how they cross-verified it at the end.
Detailed Explanation
This section addresses the role of understanding risks within the community, emphasizing the importance of local knowledge in assessing vulnerability. By discussing the risks and verifying them together, community members can develop strategies to mitigate these risks effectively.
Examples & Analogies
Just like how friends might discuss what to do in case of bad weather when planning an outing, community members in Dharavi talk about the risks they face, ensuring they have a plan ready. This proactive approach prepares them for potential challenges.
Building Codes and Vulnerability in Regions
Chapter 7 of 7
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Chapter Content
Global assessment reports talk about building codes and how they don’t match with the reality in Bangladesh despite existing codes, leading to vulnerable situations.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk discusses the gap between established building codes and actual practices in regions like Bangladesh, emphasizing how these discrepancies contribute to vulnerability. Understanding this disconnect helps identify areas where improvements are necessary to protect communities from disasters.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine if a friend tries to follow a complicated recipe but it doesn’t match the ingredients they actually have at home; similarly, building codes created without considering local realities can lead communities to construct buildings that are not safe during natural disasters.
Key Concepts
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Adaptation Strategies: Changes made by communities in response to disasters.
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Cultural Adaptability: The evolving nature of cultural practices influencing urban design.
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Community Networks: The interconnected organizations that support community resilience.
Examples & Applications
In Dharavi, a woman who lost her husband converted her home front into a shop, demonstrating adaptation to economic necessities.
Post-tsunami, traditional spaces have been repurposed, such as toilets becoming areas for communal worship, showcasing cultural adaptability.
Memory Aids
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Rhymes
In Dharavi’s streets where people strive, they change their space to survive.
Stories
Once in Dharavi, a widow turned her home into a shop, showing how adaptation helps communities thrive after loss.
Memory Tools
Remember CAR for community adaptation: Change, Adaptation, Resilience.
Acronyms
Use PETS for understanding public spaces
Public
Evolving
Traditional
Social.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Cultural Adaptability
The capacity of a community to change its cultural practices and infrastructure in response to new challenges.
- Participatory Approaches
Methods that engage community members in the planning and decision-making processes.
- Built Environment
The physical structures and spaces that make up a community.
- Community Networks
Interconnected organizations and individuals that support community goals.
Reference links
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