How culture shapes community resilience: A cultural-psychological case study of coastal communities' responses to climate disaster in Indonesia

This paper proposes and explores a cultural model of community resilience to climate-related disasters in two coastal villages in Indonesia. Through a case-based research approach, we conducted interviews and focus groups with a total of 30 community members and leaders to uncover the underlying processes through which culture plays a critical role in community resilience. Our analyses identified local indigenous belief systems and practices that help the communities adapt and develop strategies to collectively cope with the impacts of rising sea level, including gotong royong, subsistence practices, place attachments, rituals, musyawarah and bapak leadership. We interpret these results from a cultural psychology perspective and argue that community resilience is a culturally embedded process, shaped by the specific norms, values, identities and social structures of each community. Our research highlights the importance of taking a contextualized, place-based approach to understanding resilience that addresses the cultural dimensions. These insights can inform the development of culturally responsive interventions to enhance community resilience in the face of climate change.