Graduate Studies, UNL

 

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

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First Advisor

Becky Haddad

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Bryan Reiling, Mark Balschweid, Mary Emery

Department

Leadership Studies

Date of this Version

7-13-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Leadership Studies

Under the supervision of Professor Becky Haddad

Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2026

Comments

Copyright 2026, Daniel Tinyogtaa Adama. Used by permission

Abstract

Community resilience is widely recognized as a participatory approach to managing climate disasters. However, limited empirical research specifically examines how community leaders carry out the work of building that resilience in rural, climate-vulnerable communities. This qualitative case study addressed that issue by exploring the role of community leaders in building resilience against climate disasters in a rural, climate-vulnerable Midwestern community with a history of such events. Guided by three research questions, the study investigated how leaders identified and leveraged local assets and social networks, the strategies they used to promote collaboration, communication, and shared decision-making, and how their roles and challenges changed throughout the disaster management cycle. Social capital theory served as the theoretical framework. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with community leaders and residents, photovoice data from a previous study, and review of news articles. Data analysis involved thematic analysis, focusing on the community as the main unit of study. Findings showed that community leadership played a crucial role in transforming social capital into disaster resilience. Leaders mobilized local knowledge and skills during the immediate crisis, facilitated bonding, bridging, and linking social capital across community and institutional boundaries during recovery, and invested in systematic asset mapping and formal preparedness strategies before disasters. They upheld norms of reciprocity that encouraged collective action, coordinated efforts among various institutions, and developed inclusive approaches to reach the most vulnerable community members. Their roles shifted throughout the disaster management cycle, from mobilizers during response to intermediaries in recovery, and to strategic planners during preparedness. The study also highlights that concentrating disaster leadership among a small group of individuals poses a risk to long term resilience building. These findings have significant implications for emergency management agencies, local governments, community organizations, and rural disaster preparedness initiatives.

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