Enabling vulnerable communities to build back safer: the role of social influences

This study aims to explore (re)construction choices to create effective targeted assistance, and to enhance resilience of houses reconstructed after disasters. We have a large and very promising dataset in a flood and earthquake-prone area in Nepal to find answers! We have collected data from February to April 2024. Our large data collection includes 2993 household surveys and structural housing assessments, 36 focus group discussions, and 73 key stakeholder interviews in 18 communities. We have studied some aspects of the dataset, but we would like to explore a new angle to understand what parameters are most important for people to build a hazard-resistant house.

1. Behavioural model

The objective of this project is to develop a detailed behavioural simulation model to understand, explain and assess decision-making and support effective recovery assistance. Such assistance must enhance the resilience of reconstructed housing, while respecting priorities and limitations of poor households.

We would like to use an Agent-Based Model to see which parameters have been most important for the construction of flood and/or earthquake resistant houses in Nepal. We have looked at the dominance of different parameters earlier for the area affected by the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. However, we don’t know which parameters are dominant in a multi-hazard or flood-prone area. We wish to explore if there are differences between people affected by one or multiple hazards. We also wish to explore how behavioural patterns can inform the design of humanitarian and governmental reconstruction assistance.

We uggest starting with understand the dataset that we have, designing and implementing an agent based model and see what changes in the model influence housing safety. You could use an existing agent-based model developed in a Master thesis as a starting point. However, we can also discuss alternative statistical approaches.

2. Social networks

The objective of this project is to explore which assistance measures might effectively impact households’ decision-making regarding reconstruction. Such assistance must enhance the resilience of reconstructed housing, while respecting priorities and limitations of poor households.

We would like you to explore how social networks inform the decisions of people. Where do households get knowledge from? How important is it to see others rebuilding their houses in a safer way? How important is it to think others expect a household to do so? We will have preliminary research that you can build upon once you get started. You can analyse household survey data, the key-stakeholder interviews and the focus group discussions.

We suggest starting with understanding the dataset that we have, reviewing the literature on social influences and social network analysis. You can explore concepts such as innovation diffusion and social psychology and then conduct statistical analysis to test hypotheses.

If you wish, you can present the results in Nepal to relevant stakeholders and discuss what it means for them! There are also opportunities to collaborate in data-collection after your thesis project based on where your findings might lead us.