How Can Deep-cultural Patterns Aid in Resettlement? A Case Study of Three Marshallese Communities

Forced displacement and relocation is a likely future that many communities face in Small Island developing states, such as the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The goal of this research is to provide the necessary evidence for developing both design principles and policy concerning resettlement procedures in order to support cultural continuity through migration and lead toward more resilient and inclusive communities for environmentally displaced populations.

This paper addresses the complexity of resettlement programs with cultural resilience in mind to approach the design, development, and planning of climate resettlement schemes. The study analyzes the cultural patterns imbued in the dialectic between culture and the built-environment by employing a multi-sited ethnography across three communities in the Marshall Islands.

keywords: deep-culture, resilience, climate change, resettlement