Wicked Problems PDF

Wicked Problems Module 1 Synthesis Outline One More Problem: the Tragedy of the Commons Inequality and Poverty: a Recap Wicked Problems Ways Forward Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all Hardin (1968) Commons Pool of common resources shared by a population General examples: air,...

Wicked Problems Module 1 Synthesis Outline One More Problem: the Tragedy of the Commons Inequality and Poverty: a Recap Wicked Problems Ways Forward Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all Hardin (1968) Commons Pool of common resources shared by a population General examples: air, land, wildlife Better examples: clean air, arable land, huntable wildlife How much of these do you want? Real Life Examples Grazing of cattle Fishing from a body of water Garbage disposal Wastewater disposal Expansion of housing and agriculture Ateneo-life Examples Cafeteria seats Classroom availability Parking Can you picture the problem now? Infinite selfish desires over a finite world of provisions What’s the harm of taking one more for myself? When everyone thinks this, tragedy strikes Is this preventable? Possibly. Policy to prevent overuse or penalize violators? Never perfect: loopholes exist Politically charged Recognition of necessity How can we make everyone practice this? Inequality: A Recap Essential aspects: Among whom In what space Over what time Exacerbates poverty: Economically inefficient Socially destabilizing Outright unfair Inequality An ex-post concept It only manifests after ‘the event’ People are at the receiving end Grows within our intersections Inequality can be addressed Poverty: A Recap A lived experience Income deprivation Severe entitlements deprivation Capability failure Social exclusion Vulnerability Exhibiting ‘poor’ livelihood or life outcomes Being left behind The Economically Poor Filipino 2021 2023 Threshold Income Food Income Food (% increase) (% increase) Annual 33,296 22,995 28,871 20,111 (15.3%) (14.3%) Monthly 2,405.92 1,675.92 2,774.67 1,916.25 Weekly 555.21 386.75 640.31 442.21 Daily 79.09 55.1 91.22 63.0 Per Meal1 - 18.37 - 21.0 Note. Threshold data taken from the Philippine Statistics Authority (2023). 1Meals are assumed to be divided by three major meals for a day. Where are the impoverished? (Global MPI 2023) Where are the impoverished? (Global MPI 2023) Where are the impoverished? (Global MPI 2023) Common Points Multidimensional Economic Social Political Environmental Deeply Rooted Historical Systemic Wicked Problems Not as evil but highly resistant to resolution (Commonwealth of Australia, 2007) Characteristics of Wicked Problems Difficult to clearly define Varying definitions Many interdependencies and are often multi-causal Presence of conflicting goals; interrelatedness of problems Attempts lead to unforeseen consequences Possibility of future harm Often unstable Constantly evolving due to society’s whims Usually have no clear solution Management of problems at best Characteristics of Wicked Problems Socially complex Coordination extremes are necessary Never at the responsibility of any one group Everyone needs to be involved Necessitates changing behaviors Requires dismantling of detrimental social and personal practices Characterized by chronic policy failure Longstanding problems have been exacerbated or kept by policy failures As much as we try to unders ta n d THEM , our problems and resolutions are never simply black and white. The poverty cycle can be broken Ways Forward: The UN Common Agenda (2021) Ways Forward: Personal Reflections Iterate interventions Realizing that this will take time We need to all work together Understand development more: Parameters: how must we measure development? Paradigms: how must we think about development?