Visualising Community Capacity in Sustainable Development

Sten Langmann, P. Bezemer and F. Sharafizad

Journal of Development Studies, 2025, vol. 61, issue 4, 493-517

Abstract: Community capacity building is central to many sustainable development efforts around the globe. However, its effectiveness has been questioned. Part of the challenge lies in the fact that scholars and practitioners often struggle to define community capacity in a clear and accessible way, and communities themselves often lack a voice in the development of these understandings. In this ethnographic study, undertaken in Chennai, India, we address this challenge by using photography to explore and highlight existing community capacities in the region. Our analysis of the photographs revealed three concrete community capacities that allow community members to address their needs with resilience and adaptability: (1) synergistic collaboration, (2) responsible utilisation of animals, and (3) bricolage mentality. This research advances our understanding of community capacities by challenging the prevailing broad and rather abstract conceptualisations presented in the literature. It also introduces a fresh perspective on the sense of community as an integral aspect of community capacity. Furthermore, this study underscores photography’s potential to unveil implicit community capacities and its suitability for forming interpretations based on the images.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2024.2445529

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