In recent years, the exploration of urban community resilience has taken on new dimensions, with researchers and practitioners seeking innovative methods to engage communities in meaningful solutions-orientated dialogue and analysis, through creative co-production approaches. This is central to the Designing Inclusive African Coastal City Resilience (INACCT Resilience) project led by ICLEI Africa.
INACCT Resilience is an action-oriented research project focused on two coastal cities: eThekwini (Durban) in South Africa, and Beira in Mozambique, both having recently experienced extreme climate-related flooding that caused severe urban and environmental damage, displacement and loss of life. Emphasis is on strengthening proactive, inclusive and evidence-informed urban resilience planning, particularly for informal settlements and vulnerable communities in coastal cities in Africa.
Innovative Methodologies for Building Resilience:
INACCT adopts impactful and collaborative methodological approaches through combining traditional methodologies (e.g. interviews and surveys) with creative arts-based methods such as playdough sculpting and photovoice. INACCT’s playdough methodology approach is led by project co-investigator Prof. Catherine Sutherland (University of KwaZulu Natal), and inspired by Emily Ragus’ (PhD Researcher at the University of Amsterdam) research on trauma and healing linked to flooding experiences.
The project’s transdisciplinary approach also draws on design thinking. Design thinking is solutions orientated and emphasises co-learning, creativity, innovation and empathy for developing inclusive solutions that integrate multiple types of knowledge and evidence from a range of stakeholder perspectives. Arts based methods are gaining increasing traction in climate resilience research and interventions, as creative and inclusive methodological tools that foster inclusive engagement and provide a unique lens through which complex social dynamics can be understood.
The concept of play dough methodology
Play dough is a familiar and versatile material that can be used as an effective medium for co-researchers to express their ideas, emotions, and experiences in a creative and tangible form. This modelling approach supports participants to create physical representations of their thoughts and their community’s strengths, challenges, and resources, which can then be discussed and analysed for deeper insights into their perceptions and social realities. The novel process helps to fully explore and capture the nuanced and often implicit aspects of urban resilience.
For example, when considering barriers and facilitators to community-based early warning systems in informal settlements, community members have moulded structures representing their local churches and community halls, highlighting their importance as hubs for support and resource distribution during crises. Play dough constructions serve as visual and tactile metaphors that can prompt discussion and reflection, helping both participants and researchers to uncover layers of meaning that might be overlooked in more conventional approaches. The act of creating with play dough can also foster a sense of agency and empowerment among participants, as they actively engage in shaping their representations of resilience. It can also help transcend unequal power relations and give voice to those who are reluctant to participate in traditional formal settings due to factors such as cultural, political and gendered norms.
Understanding power relations through play dough modelling
Power relations within a community are often complex and can be difficult to address directly, especially in settings where power dynamics are sensitive or contentious. Play dough methodology offers a non-threatening way to explore these dynamics. By inviting participants to model scenarios or structures that reflect power relations – such as who holds influence, who is marginalised, or how decisions are made – significant insights can be gained into the often subtle manifestations of power that impact urban development and resilience building.
For example, during community focus groups, participants have been asked to create ‘resilient communities’ that show their local governance structures using play dough. The size, placement, and interaction of different elements in the models have revealed interesting insights into participants’ perceptions of power hierarchies and the distribution of authority, such as placing community leaders in prominent positions.
These representations can then be deconstructed and discussed, allowing participants to articulate their views on power dynamics in a way that is both visual and symbolic. This process can also encourage dialogue about how power is exercised, contested, or shared within the community, opening up possibilities for addressing imbalances or fostering more inclusive decision-making processes.
Depiction of community early warning system created by community members with community leaders in prominent position
The benefits of play dough methodology
A key strength of playdough methodology is its accessibility – unlike more complex research tools, play dough is inexpensive, easy to use, and requires no specialised skills. Moreover, the tactile nature of play dough allows for a multisensory experience, which can be particularly beneficial for participants who think and express themselves better through hands-on activities. This can lead to more authentic and creative expressions of ideas, as participants are not constrained by the need for verbal or written articulation, which is particularly important for addressing language barriers and unequal power dynamics that may preclude marginalised voices from active participation.
The playful, informal nature of working with play dough can create a more relaxed and open atmosphere, encouraging participants to share their thoughts and feelings more freely. This can be especially important when exploring sensitive topics where participants may otherwise feel guarded or reluctant to speak out.
As these methodologies continue to evolve and are carefully reflected upon with attention to their strengths and barriers, they hold considerable potential for fostering more inclusive and engaging approaches to understanding and building resilient urban communities across African cities, and can be used in diverse settings across disciplines and other boundaries.
Participatory co-creation through playdough modelling
Author: Dr Hayley Leck, Senior Specialist: Climate Change, Resilience & Research, ICLEI Africa
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