An Agenda to Advance Integrative Resilience Research and Practice ii
PrefaceResilience can be defined as the capacity of a dynamic system, such as a community, to anticipate and adapt successfully to challenges. In recent years, the range of social and physical stresses that people and communities experience has multiplied. Official declarations of natural, manmade, and technological disasters in the United States (and globally) have increased in the past decade. Further, these acute events combine with the stress and strain from economic challenges and environmental stress, affecting many populations and communities chronically. In this context, the science and practice of how to foster resilience for both individuals and communities has grown in scope. Much of this work has centered on the factors that make individuals and communities more resilient and the interventions that can build resilience. Today, many researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are leading and funding efforts to determine the most effective ways to build the resilience capacity and capability of individuals and organizations.The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is interested in supporting the health and development of people and communities, which is reflected in their contributions to the fields of individual and community resilience. This report summarizes work conducted jointly by researchers from the RAND Corporation and RWJF on a potential future research and practice agenda in resilience, uniquely bridging individual and community resilience research and practice across sectors. The report provides a path forward primarily built on proceedings from a Resilience Roundtable, held in June 2016, and supplemented with relevant literature review. The meeting convened by RWJF in collaboration with RAND explored the state of the resilience field and opportunities for further development. The meeting brought together researchers across disciplines as well as practitioners and policymakers across sectors for a day-long discussion of the topic. The goal was to identify where and how we can move to a more integrated and cohesive resilience agenda, with attention to critical factors that would motivate more collaborative work.