Resilience in a Turbt World

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

What does it mean to be resilient in the face of war, displacement, or economic collapse? Who decides what resilience looks like, and how do these definitions shape the lives of communities and the decisions of policymakers? In a world marked by turbulence and uncertainty, resilience is often used to celebrate survival and adaptation, but it is also a concept that is heavily debated, misapplied, and at times, imposed on populations affected by crisis. This course explores resilience as both human experience and analytical framework, drawing on insights from public health, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and international relations. Students will engage with contemporary case studies, theoretical debates, and community narratives from crisis and post-crisis contexts around the globe. Together, we will examine when resilience empowers, when it burdens, and how it can inform international policy and decision-making in ways that are ethical, effective, and attentive to human stories. Moving beyond resilience as a policy buzzword, the course will investigate how individuals and communities adapt, resist, and rebuild amid conflict, displacement, economic hardship, and recovery. Students will critically evaluate the theories, interventions, and assumptions that define, or poorly define, the concept of resilience across disciplines and institutions. Class sessions will emphasize collaborative discussion, critical reflection, and the generation of new ideas. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to analyze resilience across multiple scales, from individual and community experiences to global governance and development practice, while remaining attuned to its complexity, limitations, and potential as a guiding principle in international affairs.