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Robustness, institutions, and large-scale change in social-ecological systems: the Hohokam of the Phoenix Basin

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  • ANDERIES, JOHN M.

Abstract

Societies frequently generate public infrastructure and institutional arrangements in order to mediate short-term environmental fluctuations. However, the social and ecological consequences of activities dealing with short-term disturbances may increase the vulnerability of the system to infrequent events or to long-term change in patterns of short-term variability. Exploring this possibility requires the study of long-term, transformational change. The archaeological record provides many examples of long-term change, such as the Hohokam who occupied the Phoenix Basin for over a thousand years and developed a complex irrigation society. In the eleventh and fourteenth centuries, the Hohokam society experienced reductions in complexity and scale possibly associated with regional climatic events. We apply a framework designed to explore robustness in coupled social-ecological systems to the Hohokam Cultural Sequence. Based on this analysis, a stylized formal model is developed to explore the possibility that the success of the Hohokam irrigation system and associated social structure may have increased their vulnerability to rare climactic shocks.

Suggested Citation

  • Anderies, John M., 2006. "Robustness, institutions, and large-scale change in social-ecological systems: the Hohokam of the Phoenix Basin," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(2), pages 133-155, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jinsec:v:2:y:2006:i:02:p:133-155_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Eppinga, Maarten B. & de Boer, Hugo J. & Reader, Martin O. & Anderies, John M. & Santos, Maria J., 2023. "Environmental change and ecosystem functioning drive transitions in social-ecological systems: A stylized modelling approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    2. Fabio Silva & Fiona Coward & Kimberley Davies & Sarah Elliott & Emma Jenkins & Adrian C. Newton & Philip Riris & Marc Vander Linden & Jennifer Bates & Elena Cantarello & Daniel A. Contreras & Stefani , 2022. "Developing Transdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Challenges: The Need to Model Socio-Environmental Systems in the Longue Durée," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-20, August.
    3. D. G. Webster & Semra A. Aytur & Mark Axelrod & Robyn S. Wilson & Joseph A. Hamm & Linda Sayed & Amber L. Pearson & Pedro Henrique C. Torres & Alero Akporiaye & Oran Young, 2022. "Learning from the Past: Pandemics and the Governance Treadmill," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-26, March.
    4. K. Mix & V. Lopes & W. Rast, 2015. "A Systems Approach to Understanding the Evolution of the Agro-Social-Ecological System of the Upper Rio Grande-San Luis Valley, Colorado," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(2), pages 233-251, January.
    5. Quaranta Giovanni & Salvia Rosanna, 2014. "An Index to Measure Rural Diversity in the Light of Rural Resilience and Rural Development Debate," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 6(2), pages 1-18, June.
    6. John Haldon & Merle Eisenberg & Lee Mordechai & Adam Izdebski & Sam White, 2020. "Lessons from the past, policies for the future: resilience and sustainability in past crises," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 287-297, June.

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