Hannah Watson
Department, Institution: Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, UCL
UBEL Pathway: Risk, Disaster and Resilience Studies
Supervisor: Mark Pelling, Scott Orr, Kalliope Fouseki
About Me
I am a PhD student at University College London. I have held various positions in the international development sector, within private companies and the civil service. I have an interdisciplinary education, having studied for a Combined Arts degree at Durham University, before undertaking a Master of Public Administration at the University of Pennsylvania. Much of my research has been international in focus and I have undertaken primary research in countries across Central and South America, Africa and Asia.
In my spare time, I enjoy going to the gym, playing basketball and visiting exhibitions across London.
My Research
My research project aims to investigate how incorporating socio-cultural considerations into the planning of climate-change associated relocation can enhance community resilience and individual wellbeing by mitigating impacts associated with a loss of place identity. It will take a critical approach to ‘resilience’ and consider its conceptualisation in relocation contexts. The impact of power dynamics on cultural transmission, and any linked impacts on resilience, will be explored.
This PhD project would be interdisciplinary in nature, incorporating methods and theory from the humanities including cultural studies, anthropology and environmental psychology. Moreover, the consideration of power dynamics, cultural capital, and transformative adaptation brings questions of justice into play. Given the multisector governance of relocation planning processes, research that incorporates interdisciplinary perspectives across social science and humanities is required to consider the differing needs and priorities of the stakeholders involved and the evolving policy context.
Impact of My Research
This innovative study, which explores opportunities for long-term relocation planning, draws together interdisciplinary perspectives from the arts and social sciences that are essential for the multi-sector governance of future relocation projects. It will have important implications for impending future climate relocation projects.