A thread usually breaks where it is thinnest – lessons for building communities back better

Citation

Robertson T & Engstrom S (2021) A thread usually breaks where it is thinnest – lessons for building communities back better. University of Stirling Public Policy Blog [Blog post] 07.05.2021. https://policyblog.stir.ac.uk/2021/05/07/a-thread-usually-breaks-where-it-is-thinnest-lessons-for-building-communities-back-better/

Abstract
First paragraph: There is an old Basque proverb “Haria meheenean eten ohi da Hil arteraino bizi, han arte ez izi”, which translates as “A thread usually breaks where it is thinnest”. In team sports, this sentiment is often modified to suggest “A team is only as strong as its weakest player”. If the pandemic has shown us one thing, it is that as humans we are connected to one another. These connections may be direct (family/friends) or indirect (someone we meet at the local shop), but despite best intentions we are all put at some level of risk from the weaknesses in our decisions and actions as individuals, communities and nations, be they through choice (e.g. going to the pub) or necessity (e.g. having to go to work as a key worker).