ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a new conceptualisation of polycrisis and poverty dynamics, embedded in insights around “unsustainability” and informed by literature on fragility, vulnerability and resilience. The framework draws attention to the intersection of the three types of crises that form the focus of this book, i.e. those linked to environmental (climate-related disasters), economic and social (violent conflict) domains. It reviews the direct impacts of these intersections of crises by introducing a “4S” framework whereby polycrisis leads to “strained” livelihoods, “separated” people, “shattered” assets and lives, and government support being “subverted” away from pro-poor programming and policies. It then examines coping responses through presenting a “crisis coping wheel” that considers factors including the scale, time and purpose of coping. Together, these intersections, impacts and coping responses are linked to the poverty trajectories that result, which are all moderated by the presence of intersecting inequalities and mediated by underlying governance arrangements and norms that permeate. Following this overview, the chapter empirically examines the salience of these crises across the 15 focus countries. It undertakes descriptive country-level analyses of crises indicators and poverty to reinforce the convergence of polycrisis and poverty uncovered in this book.
