Who are the experts in times of crisis?
I recently learned about a concept in psychology, Resource Induced Coping Heuristic (RICH), and its relevance to our current global challenges. Many thanks to Professor Bryan Alexander’s Future Trends Forum on Climate Justice for the introduction to this concept.
RICH suggests that our problem-solving approaches are fundamentally shaped by the resources we have access to. When facing challenges, we naturally gravitate toward solutions that leverage our existing knowledge, tools, and experiences.
This is precisely why diverse teams and inclusive practices aren't just morally right—they're strategically essential. The polycrisis we face today—climate change, economic uncertainty, public health challenges, war—requires multifaceted solutions that no single perspective can provide.
When we include voices from marginalized communities, we're not just checking a diversity box. We're accessing unique problem-solving frameworks developed through different lived experiences and resource constraints. These communities have often created innovative solutions with limited resources that those with abundant resources might never consider.
Even as DEIA initiatives face political headwinds, we must recognize that scaling back on inclusion isn't just ethically problematic—it's strategically shortsighted. We literally cannot afford to silence the very perspectives that might hold keys to our most pressing challenges. The RICH framework reminds us: our solutions are only as diverse as our problem-solvers. In a world of complex, interconnected problems, limiting our cognitive resources is the last thing we should do.
What unique problem-solving approaches have you encountered from diverse teams that wouldn't have emerged otherwise?
Also: I've been thinking about how RICH relates to an ongoing project on teaching strategies for resource-constrained settings, including conflict zones. The assessment approaches I've suggested for this project don't just work around limitations but actively harness local knowledge and contexts. I've proposed problem-based learning aligned with students' environments or communities, localized research projects, oral history collection that honors community narratives, and creative expression through various media. Most importantly, I'm suggesting that colleagues incorporate scaffolded learning that centers students and offers them the chance to share what's important to them and iterate on their ideas. These approaches recognize that formal and tacit knowledge are equally valuable and that resource constraints often foster innovation rather than limit it.
