Normative coherence for resilience as a response to social-ecological vulnerabilities

Policy research on resilience is both timely and necessary. Policy analysis related to resilience highlights a lack of theorization and integration of environmental knowledge. This article builds on the growing literature on policy coherence for sustainable development (PCSD) by arguing that policy logics need to change in order to promote socio-ecological resilience as a desired system outcome. It specifically embraces the concept of normative coherence for resilience (NCR) as a policy framework which analyzes the tradeoffs and synergies between policy sectors. The research question asks: How normatively coherent are development programs with resilience as a guiding norm? The analysis highlights the need to expand our policy-thinking to improve our theorization in policy evaluation. The article proposes a new methodology for policy evaluation aimed at promoting resilience-thinking in decision-making through the inclusion of scientific knowledge; and presents results of research on normative coherence for resilience, applying the NCR analytical framework to the Oaxaca State Development Plan, 2016-2022. This Plan operates resilience by identifying specific causes and mechanisms for resilience to respond to vulnerable scenarios. This research demonstrates that these underlying characteristics of vulnerability damage social, economic and ecological systems. Given the high levels of marginalization that exist in Oaxaca, especially in rural areas, the analysis found that limited normative coherence for equity represents a significant barrier for NCR. Resilience needs to be embedded in our regulatory systems as a fundamental characteristic of sustainable governance.