Abstract
This study explores how the dynamics of risk perception influence disaster preparedness in high-risk environments such as the volcanic regions of Ecuador, and how these insights can inform the design of interventions for sustainable transitions. It analyzes the ongoing interactions between communities and their environment, examining factors such as infrastructure, visual representations (e.g., frescoes in churches), and local practices in the provinces of Pichincha, Cotopaxi, and Tungurahua—areas known for their proximity to active volcanoes—with a particular focus on how these elements shape collective intelligence and coping strategies. By identifying current conditions, opportunities and obstacles, and interpreting the core challenges experienced by people in these locations, this work discusses how applying a design lens can contribute to the framing, visioning, and development of strategies that guide transitions, particularly in the context of disaster risk in the country. The research adopts a multimedia ethnographic approach to expose the unconscious strategies people use to cope with environmental hazards and to understand how individual and collective factors, government involvement, cultural memory, religion, and societal differences shape risk perception, awareness, and preparedness. The study was conducted over the summer of 2024 and lasted three weeks. A total of 16 participants—including residents from urban, rural, and peripheral areas surrounding the volcanoes—were interviewed. Participants were selected based on the following criteria: long-term residence near volcanoes and prior experiences with displacement due to volcanic activity. Indigenous populations were also included. The interview protocol focused on residents’ perspectives on living near active volcanoes, exploring their past experiences with eruptions, concerns, emotional responses, and coping mechanisms. The interviews were semi-structured, and responses were analyzed thematically. Key themes such as perception of risk, trauma, generational knowledge, religious influences, and the role of government in managing disaster scenarios emerged.
Keywords
Risk perception; Design ethnography; Disaster preparedness; Sustainable transitions
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1070
Citation
Cifuentes, M.R.,and Arnold-Mages, M.(2025) Toward Sustainable Transitions: A Design Ethnographic Study of Volcanic Risk Perception in Ecuador, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1070
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 10 - Design Practices & Impacts
Toward Sustainable Transitions: A Design Ethnographic Study of Volcanic Risk Perception in Ecuador
This study explores how the dynamics of risk perception influence disaster preparedness in high-risk environments such as the volcanic regions of Ecuador, and how these insights can inform the design of interventions for sustainable transitions. It analyzes the ongoing interactions between communities and their environment, examining factors such as infrastructure, visual representations (e.g., frescoes in churches), and local practices in the provinces of Pichincha, Cotopaxi, and Tungurahua—areas known for their proximity to active volcanoes—with a particular focus on how these elements shape collective intelligence and coping strategies. By identifying current conditions, opportunities and obstacles, and interpreting the core challenges experienced by people in these locations, this work discusses how applying a design lens can contribute to the framing, visioning, and development of strategies that guide transitions, particularly in the context of disaster risk in the country. The research adopts a multimedia ethnographic approach to expose the unconscious strategies people use to cope with environmental hazards and to understand how individual and collective factors, government involvement, cultural memory, religion, and societal differences shape risk perception, awareness, and preparedness. The study was conducted over the summer of 2024 and lasted three weeks. A total of 16 participants—including residents from urban, rural, and peripheral areas surrounding the volcanoes—were interviewed. Participants were selected based on the following criteria: long-term residence near volcanoes and prior experiences with displacement due to volcanic activity. Indigenous populations were also included. The interview protocol focused on residents’ perspectives on living near active volcanoes, exploring their past experiences with eruptions, concerns, emotional responses, and coping mechanisms. The interviews were semi-structured, and responses were analyzed thematically. Key themes such as perception of risk, trauma, generational knowledge, religious influences, and the role of government in managing disaster scenarios emerged.