This event has been organized in order to discuss a new book authored by Patience Kabamba, Assistant Professor of International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College. In this work, Kabamba discusses the enterprises of the Nande trust networks and consequently aims to challenge the assumption that a “weak state” is synonymous with a “failed” society.

Amid the growing number of reports warning that climate change threatens security, one potentially dangerous – but counterintuitive – dimension has been largely ignored. Could efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and lower our vulnerability to climate change inadvertently exacerbate existing conflicts?

Effective local institutions are central to society’s ability to respond to the impacts of climate change. Our capacity to adapt is dependent on a wide range of factors with complex institutional arrangements: production strategies, land and water governance, social support systems, household and gender dynamics, availability of weather and climate information, and interaction with external actors, among others. The interaction between local and national institutions is also an important, and often complex, factor.

On May 1, African women and youth leaders discussed their experiences harnessing technology and developing innovative ideas to overcome everyday issues and provide solutions for social resilience and sustainability. Watch the webcast here and an event summary will be available shortly.