ABSTRACT
Addressing vulnerability has become fundamental to accelerating global progress towards an equitable and inclusive future as envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Despite extensive efforts by scholars and development practitioners, vulnerability remains both widely utilized and contested as a concept and framework. Grounded in ecological and biophysical dimensions, vulnerability is primarily understood as a function of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. However, recent scholarly trends emphasize that vulnerability is a multidimensional process, with its manifestations and outcomes deeply embedded in dynamic environmental and social conditions. Critics have raised concerns about the discursive politics, universal framing of vulnerability, and the co-optation of this term in the policy process and development interventions. Therefore, a nuanced approach is needed that considers the complex set of drivers and their interactions as well as specific socio-spatial contexts, and recognizes lived experiences, agency, perceptions and knowledge of marginalized communities, which are fundamental to developing tailored strategies for reducing vulnerability.
