Qualitative Assessment of Climate Change in Georgia: Comparing Ethnographic Research on Social Vulnerability with Social Indicator-based Approaches

Qualitative Assessment of Climate Change in Georgia: Comparing Ethnographic Research on Social Vulnerability with Social Indicator-based Approaches Sarah Hitchner (UGA)Cassandra Johnson Gaither (USFS)John Schelhas (UFS)Peter Brosius (UGA)

8 November 2011Project description

Project objectives and goals

Methods and research activities

Project status

Current challengesProject DescriptionPublic perceptions, understandings, and interpretations of the concept of climate change in Georgia

Current research on the intersection of climate change indicators with measures of social vulnerability

County-level maps of areas susceptible to projected climate changes using climate (temperature and precipitation) data and census-based indicators of social vulnerability

Comparison of perceptions of climate change in urban and rural areas in Georgia

Comparative ethnographic analysis to determine the range and influence of various vulnerability and resilience indicators in different areas

Integration and comparison of qualitative and quantitative methodologiesProject Objectives and GoalsObjective 1: Qualitative Assessment of Climate Change in Georgia

Perceptions of climate change in socially vulnerable communities

Identification of aspects of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity not captured by aggregate-level indicators of vulnerability

Comparison of perceptions in urban and rural communities

Objective 2: Integrating Ethnographic Research on Social Vulnerability with Social Indicator-based Approaches

Using ethnographic methods to further refine indicator-based approachesMapping and Site Selection(Marshall Shepherd and Binita KC, UGA Department of Geography)GIS methodologyVariables used to map social vulnerabilityRace: African American and HispanicAge: below 5 and over 65Education: lack of bachelor degreeLand-based livelihood (agriculture, forestry, fishery, mining)Household types (female-headed household, family with divorced and widowed women)Poverty: below poverty lineInmate population and population in group quartersIdentify counties with urban > 50% population= urban countiesIdentify counties with urban