During the course I tried to expose you to interdisciplinary narratives and visions of community development emanating from sociology, social work, socio-technical studies, land use planning and urban affairs, environmental social science just to name a few. In the end, the speakers were there to help us gain an understanding of the concept of community development, its principal dimensions and how it has evolved and transitioned in its meanings through the years. Furthermore, the course introduced the framework of just sustainable communities’ development to provide a broad understanding of how social, cultural, political, technological and environmental systems relate to each other, and how those interconnections must be recognized in efforts to foster change, sustainability and to support successes in communities, regions and nations. We used the case of renewable energy projects as community development projects after Hurricane Maria, because there is something emblematic about it. In the last three decades, disappointment with traditional “top-down” community development delivered by external experts began to propel interest in community-driven approaches from the margins to the center of development practice. This family of community development approaches have been called names such as grassroots development, people-centered development, participatory learning and action (PLA), capabilities-based development, and assets-based community development (ABCD). The final project for our class is meant to converge the lectures, featured speakers and readings to answer this compound research question:
What role can community based renewable energy projects play in Puerto Rico’s community development Post-Maria? What are some of their most important obstacles and opportunities, and what can we learn from their success or failure in our own backyards here at the Rio Grande Valley?
Rubric for Paper
First and foremost, treat each part of the question separately. For the first part make sure you include these main parts in it: What damage did Hurricanes Irma and Maria do to Puerto Rico? Particularly what damage did it do to the electric system? Why have renewable energy projects become an option at the community level? What elements of the community renewable energy projects make them suitable for development at that level?
In the second part of the question talk to me about obstacles such as the fiscal control board, centralized governmental intrusion, energy justice, disaster capitalism and colonialism and the obstacles these bring to the transition to a renewable energy decentralized system. Then contrast these obstacles with examples of the and give some examples.
Lastly, on the last part of the research question make an educated argument as to whether the Rio Grande Valley would be more resilient by transitioning to community based renewable system rather that the legacy centralized fossil fuel system we possess today. How can renewable energy projects enhance the Valley’s resilience?
As an introduction tell me why your paper is important. Whether you use a citation from of the articles assigned for reading in class, or you use your personal experience or knowledge as focus, you should answer this research question not only in class but your overall life.
The question Is simple yet profound: what role can decentralized community renewable energy projects play in becoming the basis for sustainable development?
I want you to break down the question above and break down into 4 what questions:
1. What challenges do vulnerable communities in small developing islands face in their quest to sustainable development? What role does energy security play?
Key: climate, war, fossil fuel market instability, risk associated to infrastructure security. Speak to the interconnected nature of energy and the rest of critical infrastructure.
2. What stakeholders are involved in the community development process for a renewable energy system and what interests, influence and power do they bring to the table?
Key: use your stakeholder analysis!
3. What?- what opportunities do decentralized renewable energy systems offer community development efforts in areas vulnerable to climate related, market based or catastrophic impacts?
Key: define and use concepts as: energy justice and democracy, community resilience, social bonds social capital.
4. What are the challenges faced by communities when pursuing these types of transitions? How can they better manage them?
Key: go beyond stakeholder identification to power analysis…
