REVIEW ARTICLE: RESILIENCE, POVERTY AND DEVELOPMENT

TLDR

Resilience has become a central framework in fields such as ecology, climate change adaptation, and urban planning, and is increasingly referenced by policymakers and international development agencies. This paper evaluates the advantages and limitations of applying resilience to development. The review finds that while resilience promotes an integrated approach, it is not a pro‑poor concept and cannot replace poverty‑reduction efforts. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract Resilience has become prominent in academia where it is used as a central framework in disciplines such as ecology, climate change adaptation or urban planning. Policy makers and international development agencies also increasingly refer to it. The objective of this paper is to assess the advantages and limits of resilience in the context of development. Although the review highlights some positive elements—for example, the ability to foster an integrated approach—it also shows that resilience has important limitations. In particular, it is not a pro‐poor concept, in the sense that it does not exclusively apply to, or benefit, the poor. As such, resilience building cannot replace poverty reduction. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.