Group processes in community responses to flooding: Implications for resilience and wellbeing

This project will examine the role of social identity processes in adaptive community responses to flooding. As well as material damage and impacts on physical health, floods can cause significant psychological distress. Secondary stressors caused by flooding include uncertainty about recovery processes, delays in rebuilding homes, and anxiety about the future. These long-term effects can be more distressing than the immediate impact. The disempowering effects of experiencing flooding may also undermine preparedness for future flooding. In the UK, community resilience is at the forefront of strategies for coping with floods. Membership of communities helps people cope with flooding because communities can provide their members with social support in the face of adversity. In order to grasp the group dynamics of community membership, the research will draw upon the social identity approach in social psychology. From this perspective, the development of community resilience in relation to flooding is in part a function of the extent to which those affected by the flood share a social identity, which in turn depends on whether they experience the event collectively or in psychological isolation. The research is expected to address three questions: (1) To what extent do social identity processes contribute to a sense of community in flood-affected districts? (2) How far do new social identities develop, endure and contribute to coping after the immediate crisis? (3) To what extent is a sense of community conditioned by relationships with other groups? The successful candidate will address these questions through conducting an 18-month longitudinal study of an area affected by major flooding, which will be identified in partnership with the Environment Agency. The study will involve a combination of questionnaire survey, interviews and ethnographic observations. The successful candidate should therefore be familiar with techniques of questionnaire design and qualitative data-gathering and analysis.
The studentship will be based at Public Health England’s offices in Porton, Wiltshire but registered at the University of Sussex. Supervision will be by Dr Richard Amlôt at Public Health England and Dr John Drury at Sussex.
The studentship pays the tuition fee, and a maintenance allowance. The maintenance allowance for 2015/16 is approx. £16,000 per annum.
If you wish to discuss the details of this PhD project further, please contact Dr Richard Amlôt: [Email Address Removed] or Dr John Drury [Email Address Removed]
To apply candidates should provide:
* A personal statement detailing why you wish to carry out doctoral research (up to 1500 words). This should include a discussion of your specific research interests within the scope of the advertised area.
* A current transcript with full details of performance on all completed courses.