Community resilience and continuous challenges: A qualitative analysis of the functioning of communities in the aftermath of persistent and ordinary stressors

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the functioning of communities in the aftermath of continuous challenges and identifying standards for describing resilient paths based on the perspective of community members. A qualitative investigation was carried out in 11 territorial communities of Salento, in southern Italy. Fifty‐two key informants were interviewed and interview transcripts were submitted to thematic content analysis through Atlas.Ti. Overall, the interviewees reported that their communities suffer from a varied set of complex and interrelated adverse circumstances that have increased their vulnerability. The respondents have a clear idea about the community strengths and weaknesses that either allow or impede adaptive responses, though they did not understand the latter in separation from the slow‐onset events that have contributed to causing them. On the basis of findings, resilient paths facing continuous challenges can be described as trajectories of functioning allowing the communities to survive and progress through adaptive and maladaptive responses.

Sustainability Potential of Marginal Areas for Food, Feed, and Non-Food Production in the Puglia Region, Southern Italy: Part II: A Review

“…These networks strengthen the social fabric and contribute to the overall resilience of agricultural communities and identities, which must be accurately preserved. Moreover, another research paper shows that sustainable agricultural methods not only mitigate the impact of environmental stressors but also enhance the resilience of local communities in terms of their capacity to adapt and prosper in the long term [88]. The concept of Social Farming (SF) has emerged as a way to harness the social potential of agriculture.…”