Resilience science: Theoretical and methodological directions from the juncture of resilience and projects
Nader Naderpajouh, Juri Matinheikki, Lynn A. Keeys, Daniel P. Aldrich, Igor Linkov
Abstract
Increasing concern about disruptions and the need for adaptation to drastic changes in social and ecological systems has been reflected in the growing trajectory of “resilience research.” At the same time, the surge in medium- to large-scale projects around the world, known as projectification, has produced considerable interest in the discipline of “project studies.” The disciplinary idiosyncrasies of project studies motivate a reflection on theoretical and methodological considerations in “resilience research.” This reflection rests on the experience of instigating research at the juncture of resilience and projects in this special collection. Specifically, we framed these experiences as a set of principles that can be considered in “resilience research,” such as the need for theoretical parsimony, clear boundaries for applying the concept of resilience, as well as considerations in measuring resilience for future research. We posit that these principles can inform the broader research stream that we call “projects of future,” a research stream to engage project scholarship with the contemporary phenomena in Anthropocene.