Rethinking resilience: A framework to guide contextualised engagement with resilience dynamics in communities facing marginalisation in the Pacific.

This thesis examines climate resilience in Fiji’s urban informal settlements, addressing Pacific Island Countries’ vulnerabilities to climate-induced flooding and extreme weather. It critiques Western-centric resilience frameworks that marginalise local knowledge, neglect socio-political dynamics, and prioritise technical solutions. Through a multi-phase approach, the study develops a framework for co-constructing knowledge, generates empirical insights using participatory methods, and evaluates Western theoretical frameworks in non-Western contexts. It introduces a Transformative Agency for Resilience Framework, grounding approaches in local perspectives while recognising the interplay between local and systemic agency. Findings advocate for community-driven strategies that integrate Indigenous knowledge, challenge inequities, and enhance adaptive capacity for marginalised populations in the Global South amidst climate uncertainty.