Presentation Title
The Relationship Between National Culture and Urban Resilience
Abstract
Climate change, population growth, and globalization place increasing pressure on urban areas. Cities around the world are faced with mounting physical, social, and economic challenges. To combat these challenges, it is imperative that urban areas take steps to increase their resilience. Urban governments around the world have created formal plans to increase their resilience physically, socially, and economically. Previous research has shown that national cultures, or the beliefs and attitudes that guide behavior, can play a significant role in shaping the values of a nation’s citizens. As more and more cities design urban resilience plans, it is highly relevant to assess the role that national culture plays in the creation of these plans. Through a content analysis of urban resilience plans from around the world using Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, this paper assesses whether and how national culture influences urban resilience efforts. The results of the analysis show that urban resilience efforts are not strongly influenced by national culture, but instead share a common thread of being inclusive, future-oriented, and prioritizing the quality of life over profits.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Professor Robert V. Bartlett
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Second Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
Political Science
Second Program/Major
European Studies
Primary Research Category
Social Sciences
Secondary Research Category
Food & Environment Studies
The Relationship Between National Culture and Urban Resilience
Climate change, population growth, and globalization place increasing pressure on urban areas. Cities around the world are faced with mounting physical, social, and economic challenges. To combat these challenges, it is imperative that urban areas take steps to increase their resilience. Urban governments around the world have created formal plans to increase their resilience physically, socially, and economically. Previous research has shown that national cultures, or the beliefs and attitudes that guide behavior, can play a significant role in shaping the values of a nation’s citizens. As more and more cities design urban resilience plans, it is highly relevant to assess the role that national culture plays in the creation of these plans. Through a content analysis of urban resilience plans from around the world using Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, this paper assesses whether and how national culture influences urban resilience efforts. The results of the analysis show that urban resilience efforts are not strongly influenced by national culture, but instead share a common thread of being inclusive, future-oriented, and prioritizing the quality of life over profits.