Using ethnography, FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters and the University of Puerto Rico, Cayey, will study the experiences of vulnerable communities in the area known as “Hurricane Alley.” (Photo by Alex Dolce)

Transformations in the global climate system are profoundly destabilizing ecosystems across the Caribbean, with South Florida and Puerto Rico experiencing notable impacts. To address this challenge, researchers from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Cayey, are turning to ethnography – an in-depth, immersive research method that involves observing and interviewing people in their natural settings.

FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, in collaboration with UPR Cayey, has received a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for a project titled, “Rhizomatic Nexus: Cultural Dimensions of Ecological Instability.” Researchers will investigate the cultural dimensions of ecological instability by studying the experiences of vulnerable communities in South Florida and Puerto Rico. This approach will enable them to capture the nuanced ways in which communities are responding to ecological disruptions.

“Ethnography offers a unique lens through which we can understand the cultural and social adaptations that individuals and communities are making in response to environmental instability,” said Adriana Garriga-López, Ph.D., principal investigator and an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology within FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. “By documenting these responses, we gain valuable insights into the interplay between ecological changes and cultural practices. This knowledge is essential for developing and refining strategies aimed at mitigating harm and enhancing adaptability.” 

The research also will result in the development of tandem ethnographic laboratories and research training hubs at FAU and UPR Cayey, both Hispanic Serving Institutions. The award supports three years of research ending in October 2027, which will take place at various farms, community organizations, hospitals and other institutions in South Florida and Puerto Rico. Researchers also will meet with key leaders and members of populations living in areas directly affected by ecological instability.

The Rhizomatic Nexus project will explore how people in various but interconnected regions of the Caribbean experience and respond to climate instability, particularly in the area known as “Hurricane Alley.” The goal of the project is to understand how people from diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences deal with and respond to ecological volatility and highlights the challenges and opportunities they face in rapidly fluctuating ecologies alongside failing or damaged infrastructures.

“Our project is focused on building interdisciplinary networks and capacities,” said Katharina Rynkiewich, Ph.D., co-PI and an assistant professor in FAU’s Department of Anthropology. “We aim to be a central hub for scholars using ethnographic methods to study cultural responses to ecological instability in tropical and subtropical regions. Our research also emphasizes community outreach and participatory action research, centered on the Rhizomatic Nexus theme of everyday experiences with environmental change.”

This research involves a partnership among faculty members in the FAU Department of Anthropology and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research at UPR Cayey. The PI at UPR Cayey is Patria Celeste Lopez de Victoria, Ph.D., an associate professor of English; and co-PI is Patricia Noboa Ortega, Ph.D., a professor of social science.

“This collaborative research project funded by the National Science Foundation will generate new opportunities for students to engage in multidisciplinary research, learn from experts, engage in research design, data collection, and sample analysis, attend conferences, and connect with leading scholars across the region,” said Michael J. Horswell, Ph.D., dean, FAU Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. “Additionally, through the ethnography labs and training programs at both institutions, students will develop valuable skills in qualitative research and analysis, preparing them for careers in research-centered fields.” 

Understanding cultural responses and adaptation to ecological instability can generate important and actionable insights that connect communities and individuals across and beyond the Caribbean, including coastal communities and island societies around the world. Documenting and analyzing how people enact cultural responses to ecological and social instability can help researchers generate and fine tune strategies to safeguard collective survival.

“By fostering collaboration and creating a strong support network, the Rhizomatic Nexus project ensures that students and researchers are well-equipped to address the region’s urgent environmental challenges while contributing to a broader scientific understanding of cultural responses to ecological instability in the contemporary world,” said Garriga-López. 

NSF funded this research specifically through the program Build and Broaden: Enhancing Social, Behavioral and Economic Science Research and Capacity at Minority-Serving Institutions (B2) program, which aims to generate critical research infrastructure and collaboration at universities deemed to be minority-serving institutions.

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