The Relationship Between National Culture and Urban Resilience

Presenter's Name(s)

Madison Lee CilkFollow

Conference Year

January 2020

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

Abstract only.

Share

COinS
 

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.