An operational definition of “sense of place”

JOPD 

(12/04/2014)

“Sense of place” is operationally defined is an affective bond between people and place or setting (Steele, 1981). Fisherman who survived the tsunami are consistently saying that they want to return to the sea. They identify their experience as “love”, “freedom” or “challenge.”  It is really something that we create ourselves in the course of time (Jackson, 1994). It is the result of habit or custom and it is reinforced by a series of recurring events.

Hummon (1992) defines sense of place as a subjective perceptions and feelings that people have of their environment.  Sense of place has a dual nature, on the one hand it interprets the environment, and on the other  there is an emotional reaction to the environment. Hutton indicates that “sense of place involves a personal orientation toward place, in which one’s understanding of place, and one’s feelings about place become fused in the context of environmental meaning.”

Table for relationships to place, type of bond and process

Relationship	Type of bond	Process
Bibliographical[1]	Historical and familial	Birth and living in a place, develops overtime.
Spiritual[2]	Emotional and intangible	Feeling a sense of belonging, simply felt rather than created.
Ideological[3]	Moral and ethical	Responsibility to place, guidelines may be religious or secular.
Narrative[4]	Mythical	Learning about a place through stories, including: creation myths, family histories, political accounts, and fictional accounts.
Comodified[5]	Cognitive (based on choice and desirability	Choosing a place based on a list of desirable traits and lifestyle preferences, comparison of actual places with an ideal.
Dependent[6]	Material	Constrained by lack of choice, dependency on another person or the government, and a changing economic opportunity.

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[1]. The strongest and most enduring relationships are based on the strong identification with the place and relative long residence. Bibliographical relationships require time to develop, and are strongest in communities in which one has spent more time. Spending time in a place creates memories and experiences, which become part of a person’s individual and community identity.

[2].  People identify their relation to place in an intuitive sense which is difficult to measures. These are intuitive connections, which express a sense of belonging, sometimes mystical and intangible.

[3].  A weel articulated ideology about how to life in a place (ie. Religious communities or ethnic enclaves).

[4].  We grow up with stories of a palce which teaches us about the history and our relationship to that history. You grow up speaking the same language, listening to stories about neighbors, trees, rocks and other parts of the eenvironment within our sight. (ie. Family histories, fictional accounts, local lore, moral tales, national myths, and political accounts.)

[5].  Choice defines this characteristic. The ability to choose a place with the best possible combination of desirable features. The comodified relationship is related to dissatisfaction with one community and the quest to find a more desirable place. These relationships are more cognitive and physical than emotional (ie. Displaced person by a disaster).

[6].   Dependent  relationships. Typically these relationships are the result of having either no choice  or severe limitation on choice (ie. Children that who are dependent on therir parents, or elderly who move close to the caretakers, or a person that moves to a different job because of romantic attachments.

CONCEPT PAPER

America can be a courageous leader in a world coalition for Peace in support of those impacted by ISIS

Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz, PhD

When one looks at the world from the safety of the United States, one sees chaos, turbulence, crisis, incivility and lack of leadership. Last week the President faced the United Nations and plainly spelled out his agenda “we have to face violence with violence because they (ISIS) doesn’t understand any other way”.  He gave into the challenge of a small group, without considering the implications of heightening conflict. How many women, children, the elderly and the differently abled will be impacted by the new coalition of confrontation through bombs.

There may be another way to excerpt leadership: a coalition of peace builders. America has done this before in Europe and Asia, as well as within during the great depression and over coming the grief and fear that captured America after September 11 terrorist attacks. Many of the current international partners subscribe to the Holiest Books of their religious affiliation and acknowledge that “Blessed are the peace makers because they will be called children of God Almighty/Allah the Merciful/ Yahweh the Father of Abraham.

The problem:  How do we engage a core group of American people in a dialogue that utilizes creative problem solving to develop a world coalition that will alleviate the impact of displacement, destruction, and despair resulting in a stronger more resilient population?

Participants: Representatives from Department of Homeland Security, the military, volunteer organizations, the Red Cross, Interaction, faith based groups, and other members of the civil society that have a history of involvement during and post humanitarian crisis

Method:
1. A meeting sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace that focuses on: (1) the problem and the geography impacted (the Middle East is too broad, the refuges population too narrow); (2) Emergency health, public health, protection of the survivors of conflict, development of a national and regional framework; (3) Develop a protocol that will impact the affected people, the mechanics to be developed by each group, and the courageous leadership steps necessary in the immediate short term and during (while thee military intervention is taking place), and the immediate reconstruction.

2. The President of the United States on behalf of the American people commits to the recommendations of this group, actively seeks funding from Congress, and participation from other nations. Thus creating a broad coalition for peaceful response to ISIS actions.

Monitoring:

1. The President approves the plan and commits to advocacy and funding.

2. The U.S. Crisis Corps is generated and deployed to the immediate conflict areas and serve in conjunction to the UN and the International Red Cross.

3. Immediate support is visible in the impacted areas, and the concerned agencies will conduct the necessary community assessments, engagement, training, and support to the population.

4. Each group will develop its own recovery plan, and determine the physical, emotional and spiritual needs to move forward.

5. The impacted population with assistance from the U.S. Crisis Corps and other international parties, move back to their countries to fill the vacuum left by the impact of hostile actions between the warring parties.

A Dream of Peace

A DREAM OF PEACE

Joseph O. Prewitt Díaz, PhD

September 10, 2013

We are taught that we reap what we plant. If we plant hate, deception, discord, then we will reap hate, deception and discord. But …. If we plant understanding, compassion and love, then we will reap understanding, compassion and love.

God created the heavens and the earth, all living things, the mountains and the valleys, the river and the seas. Whether we are Jews or gentiles, where we are Muslims, Christians, or Agnostics we are responsible and accountable for God’s creation.

We cannot destroy what has been given to us. Neither can we deny extending a helping had to one in need because we have religious or political differences or because we believe that we shouldn’t interfere so that further troubles come our way.

WE ARE ALL ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE HAVE INHERITED!

If we believed in a gospel of love, then the mighty house would establish a dialogue with the house in disarray, and in consultation come up with ways to assist the re-establishment of peace. Neither houses should impose their agendas, but collaborate for understanding, and the formulation of safety, security, and accountability for all.

What would the Gospel of Love look like in the current prevailing situation between the United States and Syria?

1.  There is human intelligence regarding use of weapons of mass destruction, injured and refugees. What about human intelligence on social cohesion, solution focused activities, and the desire of the people to use their human resources in conjunction to stakeholders to bring peace through: housing and basic needs, medical attention, distribution of geographical areas, and what are the needs and wants for those who are leaving and those who are staying.

2.  What resources are available throughout the world to help that population?

3. What would be an articulated plan to bring peace? Who are the internal stakeholders, and which external stakeholder will take on as a task to bring peace?

4.    What will be the function of the UNHCR, the Red Crescent and Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, World Council of Churches and others?

 5. What is the timeline and how we measure the goals and objectives of this movement of peace?

I would like to share my dream:  President Obama gets on the podium next Tuesday evening surrounded by republicans adnd democrats from the House and the Senate, to announce to the American people the plan.  He says “I have decided today to withdraw all the warships from the waters around Syria. I have instructed that the two hospital ships take position in those waters and begin to provide assistance to the refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. We have requested landing rights in Libya so that we can advance humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced in conjunction to President Assad’s government. I have also assigned all the Civil Affairs units to join forces with AID personnel and begin to provide services that guarantee safety, security and calmness and that promote well being and resilience to our Syrian brothers and sisters”.

Blessed are the peace makers!!!!

Psychosocial Support and Disasters: Recovery begins in the Shelters

Psychosocial Support and Disasters: Recovery begins in the Shelters: RECOVERY BEGINS IN THE SHELTER A recent report entitled “Resilience in the wake of Superstorm Sandy” (2013) produced...

Recovery begins in the Shelters

RECOVERY BEGINS IN THE SHELTER

A recent report entitled “Resilience in the wake of Superstorm Sandy” (2013) produced by the Associated Press and NORC provides some insights regarding recovery after a major catastrophe. There are some insights that we should consider in developing strategies for recovery:

1.        Sandy generated extensive impacts beyond the physical damage, including prolonged effects on daily living and social relationships.

2.        While stable communities (resource rich) saw altruistic behaviors amongst its neighbors that resulted in a more resilient community.   Communities that had diverse culturally and linguistic members, migrants, elderly, and people with limited financial resources (in other words functional disabled people with limited incomes) reported the challenges of secondary stressors in recovery. This means that this segment off the affected communities will be faced with similar situations in the future.

3.        Some of the challenges faced by the second groups above include: (1) school and child care closings, (2) longer commutes, (3) missed time at work and (4) the relocation of friends and neighbors. This cohort remained more time in shelter, although they turned to friends, family and neighbors for assistance.

4.        Only 4% of the respondents turned to the ARC for assistance (p.6).  First responders provided a lot of support in the first 14 days of the response. Longer-term faith based groups and relief organizations provided longer-term support.  This period was characterized by reports of looting or stealing and hoarding of food and water.

Action moving forward into recovery

1.      Initiate resilience activities in the shelters focusing of “Community group meetings” every evening that focus on challenges, solutions and sharing good news.

2.      ARC in conjunction with NVOAD and faith based organization develop a tool kit for neighbors as a preparation activity that focuses on Psychological First Aid and activities that generate calmness in adversity and reduces negative behaviors.  

3.      Over reliance in social media may not be the best for “low resource populations” low-tech methods should be identified and practiced in at risk communities.

4.      Psychosocial support activities that address secondary stressors should be defined and develop into a tool kit (no more than a trifold) in several languages.

How do we know this works

1.    All DAT teams and volunteer responders familiar with resilience tool kits.

2.    Preparedness activities are developed and practiced with faith based and community groups in ZIP codes with low SES, linguistically and culturally diverse populations and people with functional needs.

3.    Schools become the conduits for information to the communities.

4.    In the next major disaster the percentage of reports of looting, stealing, hoarding of food and water will be reduced to less than 10%.

5.    Finally, the majority of the people asked randomly, in the potentially affected ZIP codes, will respond that they feel safe and secure of their response in the event of a major disaster.

Psychosocial support paves the way for a new life

PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT PAVES THE WAY FOR A NEW LIFE 

Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz[1] PhD

Psychosocial support is a cross cutting issue in the SPHERE Project 2011. The main role of psychosocial support is to assure that the emotional needs of affected-persons are addressed as they recover from major disaster or conflicts. Community based psychosocial support is a tool that provides support and equal assess to services to the oppressed and the oppressors. It is participatory in nature and providers a mechanism where all segments of the community are able to identify the risk and resilience factors in their geographic, ecological, cultural, economical, spiritual, social and psychological place. The activities provides a space for all members of a community to identify their losses, what they need to rebuild, their social capital and what the affected-communities need from the outsiders and  other stakeholders.

The approach has two predominant segments: a clinical and a psychosocial segment. The clinical approach begins with psychological first aid, and then the small groups of disaster-affected people that need further clinical evaluation are referred for counseling. In a small number of cases, medical personnel that may use medication to alleviate the traumatic stress, anxiety and depression raising from the difficulty of coping with the disasters and the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness experienced by some.

The psychosocial support segment provides for participatory community assessment. Most of this work is qualitative and relies on community mapping and narratives using pictures as stimuli for community members to express their needs. Volunteers are the backbone of this segment. They will develop safe space for children to play, and informal schooling for adolescents, women, and the elderly to develop skills to rebuild their “place”. Slowly, slowly, the disaster-affected people regain their desire to move ahead and enhance their resilience. The narratives with small groups every six-months give a glimpse of the movement made by the affected-communities from their own perspectives, and needs to continue to change and to be modified.

Psychosocial support is synonymous of constant activities, increased communication, ownership for the process and product, voluntarism and re-establishment of place. Psychosocial support  paves the  path to a bright new world!

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[1] Dr. Prewitt Diaz is President and CEO of the Center on Psychosocial Support in Disasters. AlexandriaVA. He is the recipient of 2008 APA International Humanitarian Award.