Dimensions of Socio- Cultural Sustainability: A literature review and concept map

Janet Kivett KnightMA Sustainability Studies

April 2nd 2013Photo: J Kivett Knight

Rationale

• Personal history• Experiences in the North• Socio-cultural effects of processes of change

• Climate change impacts and development in Northern, Indigenous communities• Traditional lifestyles, cultural health, socio-economic

stability

• Field of “Sustainability” unbalanced• 3 pillars approach • Lack of understanding of social and cultural dimensions

There must be a thorough appreciation of underlying socio-cultural principles in a particular context, as they

• inform interaction with the natural environment, and

• determine the capacity of communities to adapt to change and plan for future sustainability.

SakKijânginnatuk Nunalik (Sustainable Communities Initiative)

• Nunatsiavut Inuit Regional Government

• To inform best practices for community sustainability

“Participants from all communities would like to be more involved in community planning and would like to ensure local goals and values are integrated into community planning decisions.”

- SakKijânginnatuk Nunalik Executive Summary, 2013

Thesis Project

Literature Reviewand Concept Map

SakKijânginnatuk Nunalik Preliminary Workshops

Analysis and validation of community-specific social and cultural components

Makkovik Focus Groups

Literature Review- Objectives

• Explore how social and cultural aspects of sustainability are understood and addressed in the literature

• Identify concepts and related fields of discourse relevant to socio- cultural sustainability in Northern, Indigenous communities

Online database search of peer- reviewed literature

Reviewed 200+ articles

Developed ‘concept map’

Visual map of discourse identifying • related fields of discourse,• key concepts,• important papers, authors

Literature Review- Methods

1

2

3

Dimensions of socio-cultural sustainability: concept map

themes

related fields of discourse

socio-cultural dimensions

key components

Mapping ‘Maintenance’ social sustainability

• Related to social resilience and cultural sustainability discourses

• Themes of social cohesion, social capital and culture

• Components include sense of identity and belonging, levels of participation and cultural capital

Analysis• Development in field of socio-cultural sustainability

• 2 main discussions• Socio-cultural dimensions supporting broader sustainability• Social and cultural aspects as things to be sustained

• Three ‘types’ of socio-cultural sustainability

• Related disciplines and fields of discourse

• Key themes and components

Next steps• Travel to Makkovik, Nunatsiavut

(Labrador)

• Focus groups with community members

• Identify key social and cultural components of sustainability at a community level

http://thescope.ca/news-views/story-to-watch-in-2012-on-thin-ice

Relevance to Communities

• Understand social landscape of community

• Better incorporate community values, priorities, ideals and objectives

• Support sustainability of social and cultural capital (traditions, activities, language)

• Contextualize sustainability

Photo: J Kivett Knight

Acknowledgements• Dr. Chris Furgal, Trent University• Professor Dan Longboat, Trent University• The Health, Environment, and Indigenous Communities Research Group• Nunatsiavut Government• Communities of Makkovik, Postville, Hopedale and Rigolet• Dr. Trevor Bell, Memorial University• Tom Sheldon, Director of the Environment, NG• Christina Goldhar, Nunatsiavut Government• Diana Kouril

janetknight@trentu.ca janetkivettknight.wordpress.com