“We're not waiting. We'll do this ourselves”: Resilience as a Cultural Narrative in New Orleans

• In Event: 40821 - Community and Urban Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 2. Constructing Place Character

Abstract

Resilience is often framed as an essential characteristic of New Orleans, shaping both individual and collective responses to crisis. This study examines resilience not as a purely adaptive trait but as a cultural narrative that informs how residents interpret hardship, engage with historical consciousness, and conceptualize the city’s future. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 24 neighborhood organization leaders, this research interrogates the ways in which resilience functions discursively, both as a source of collective identity and as a contested framework that can obscure structural vulnerabilities. The findings reveal that resilience is central to public discourse and community organizing in New Orleans, reinforcing a historical continuity of endurance. However, this narrative also carries an inherent ambivalence: while it fosters a sense of agency and belonging, it can also legitimize political neglect by shifting responsibility from institutions to individuals and communities. Additionally, historical consciousness plays a significant role in shaping attitudes toward contemporary challenges, particularly climate change. While some neighborhood leaders advocate for proactive adaptation, others express skepticism, either assuming the city’s long-term viability based on historical precedent or fearing that large-scale interventions could disrupt its cultural integrity. By situating resilience within broader sociological discussions on narrative construction, collective memory, and imagined futures, this study contributes to ongoing debates on the role of cultural narratives in shaping urban futures.

Author

• Nicole R Letourneau, Harvard University