Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/T010517/1
Ixchel: Building understanding of the physical, cultural and socio-economic drivers of risk for strengthening resilience in the Guatemalan cordillera
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor ES Calder, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr K Shields, University of Edinburgh, The Roslin Institute
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr R Veliz, University of the Valley of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Mr J Vasquez Monterroso, Rafael Landivar University, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor RL Wolpert, Duke University, Statistical Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Miss L Mackenzie, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr N Stuart, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr S Garcia Ferrari, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr R Ribeiro, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Literature Languages & Culture
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr E Spiller, Marquette University, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Mr C Puac Alvarez, Rafael Landivar University, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr CD Gordillo de Marchena, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr M Colom Bickford, University of the Valley of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr C Gleghorn, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Literature Languages & Culture
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr G Gioli, Bath Spa University, School of Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr A J Martinez Rodas, University of the Valley of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor R Doherty, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr M Berger-Gonzalez, University of the Valley of Guatemala, Centre for Health Studies (CES)
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor J Cupples, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr R Escobar-Wolf, Michigan Technological University, Geological Engineering & Science
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr A Guerra Noriega, ICC (Private Inst for Climate Change), Main office
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor SM Mudd, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor W Lopez, Rafael Landivar University, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr C Romero Oliva de Hirschmeier, University of the Valley of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr J Sun, University of Glasgow, School of Engineering
- Co-Investigator:
- Mr R Salguero Giron, INSIVUMEH (Nat Inst of Seismology), UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr AF Bell, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr M N Orozco Figueroa, University of the Valley of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr D Nunez, University of the Valley of Guatemala, UNLISTED
- Grant held at:
- University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Geography and Development
- Eruptive products
- Gravity flows
- Pyroclastic flows
- Risk management
- Uncertainty communication
- Volcanic eruptions
- Geohazards
- Volcano monitoring
- Cartography and GIS
- Cultural and Anthrop Geography
- Film-based media (H, T & P)
- Abstract:
- This project is based on in-depth research in rural and indigenous communities in the cordillera of Guatemala (volcanic arc and southern highlands) that are located close to active volcanoes and in the vicinity of Lake Atitlan. This region has an extraordinarily high level of hazard exposure that intersects with, and is exacerbated by, existing forms of socio-economic vulnerability. People die, suffer and lose livelihoods in disasters in part because of Guatemala's geological and climatological conditions that make it prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes, as well as frequent landslides during the rainy season. The dynamic and interactive nature of these risks are still poorly understood. There is then an urgent need to gain better understandings of physical processes and, in particular, of multihazard interactions in the Guatemalan context from a scientific perspective. However, this hazard exposure cannot be separated from long histories of landlessness, state-led violence and genocide that manifest themselves today in colonial and discriminatory attitudes towards poor indigenous and mixed race (ladino) Guatemalans. Such attitudes result in failures by authorities to protect, warn, evacuate survivors, exhume and properly count the dead, and to relocate or rehouse people with dignity and in culturally appropriate ways. These experiences also mean that local people often do not trust state agencies or western science, and indigenous peoples also have their own knowledge systems and modes of understanding risk and resilience that they deem to be more reliable. The losses and complexities of recent disasters such as the June 2018 eruption of the Fuego volcano and the building of resilient communities urgently require research that brings physical sciences into dialogue not only with social sciences and humanities, but also with diverse cosmovisions and beliefs. This project involves a close collaboration between physical scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars and Guatemalan community leaders in communities exposed to multiple forms of risk. It is based on a shared commitment to reduce the suffering caused by hazards and disasters but involves people who work with very different epistemic, theoretical and methodological approaches and knowledge frameworks. We ask whether we can better understand risk and do research that is both respectful and useful to local people by putting these different knowledge systems on an equal footing. We will therefore combine quantitative monitoring techniques with artistic and ethnographic work and a range of community engagement activities. The scientific and the cultural will be combined in a 8-episode television series produced in collaboration with local organizations, actors and mediamakers in which the complexity of rural community lives and livelihoods of indigenous peoples living with risk will be ethically represented and followed up by a range of outreach activities in community spaces and on radio, television and social media. We will produce a cultural product that will provoke high levels of audience engagement and debate by scientists, community members, development practitioners, emergency managers and government agents.
- Period of Award:
- 14 May 2020 - 31 Mar 2025
- Value:
- £2,794,572 Lead Split Award
Authorised funds only
- NERC Reference:
- NE/T010517/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Resumption
- Scheme:
- Directed - International
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- GCRF Multi-Hazards Risk
This grant award has a total value of £2,794,572
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Exception - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Staff | Exception - T&S | DI - T&S | DA - Other Directly Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £524,942 | £1,078,756 | £263,104 | £270,305 | £119,811 | £177,039 | £148,682 | £203,338 | £8,594 |
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