War & Community Development: Avatar the Last Airbender

This project examines war and community development in Avatar the Last Airbender. In the fictional world of the Avatar, I investigate the development of environmental, social, political, and human capital given the circumstance of war. I find that in the fictional world of the Avatar, and in the real world, the relationship between war and community development is complex and nuanced. The circumstance of war undermines the development of certain community assets. However, despite the deficiencies that war can aggravate, the ability of the human spirit to persist is often the catalyst for transformative change that begins the road to recovery and peace.