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The study focuses on organized activities within communities experiencing disaster. It is initiated by a description of the nature of disaster involvement on the part of various community organizations. A discussion follows of the different meanings of the term 'disaster' and of the social implications created by differential characteristics of disaster agents. It is suggested that the primary disruption of the social structure is revealed in unplanned changes in interorganizational relationships. Four types of organized behavior are isolated, derived from a cross-classification of the nature of the disaster tasks and the post-impact structure. Using these four types, problems of mobilization and recruitment are discussed as well as the specific operational problems these groups experience functioning under disaster conditions. A final chapter deals with the implications of disaster research in dealing with the organizational consequences of a nuclear catastrophe.
In the wake of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, many are asking what, if anything, can be done to prevent large-scale disasters. How is it that we know more about the hazards of modern American life than ever before, yet the nation faces ever-increasing losses from such events? History shows that disasters are not simply random acts. Where is the logic in creating an elaborate set of fire codes for buildings, and then allowing structures like the Twin Towers—tall, impressive, and risky—to go up as design experiments? Why prepare for terrorist attacks above all else when floods, fires, and earthquakes pose far more consistent threats to American life and prosperity? The Disaster Experts takes ...
This timely Handbook is based on the principle that disasters are social constructions and focuses on social science disaster research. It provides an interdisciplinary approach to disasters with theoretical, methodological, and practical applications. Attention is given to conceptual issues dealing with the concept "disaster" and to methodological issues relating to research on disasters. These include Geographic Information Systems as a useful research tool and its implications for future research. This seminal work is the first interdisciplinary collection of disaster research as it stands now while outlining how the field will continue to grow.
This series is dedicated to serving the growing community of scholars and practitioners concerned with the principles and applications of environ mental management. Each volume is a thorough treatment of a specific topic of importance for proper management practices. A fundamental ob jective of these books is to help the reader discern and implement man's stewardship of our environment and the world's renewable resources. For we must strive to understand the relationship between man and nature, act to bring harmony to it, and nurture an environment that is both stable and productive. These objectives have often eluded us because the pursuit of other in dividual and societal goals has diverte...
Disasters and the American State offers a thesis about the trajectory of federal government involvement in preparing for disaster shaped by contingent events. Politicians and bureaucrats claim credit for the government's successes in preparing for and responding to disaster, and they are also blamed for failures outside of government's control. New interventions have created precedents and established organizations and administrative cultures that accumulated over time and produced a general trend in which citizens, politicians and bureaucrats expect the government to provide more security from more kinds of disasters. The trend reached its peak when the Federal Emergency Management Agency adopted the idea of preparing for 'all hazards' as its mantra. Despite the rhetoric, however, the federal government's increasingly bold claims and heightened public expectations are disproportionate to the ability of the federal government to prevent or reduce the damage caused by disaster.
A kaleidoscopic book that illuminates our obsession with weather--as both physical reality and evocative metaphor--focusing on the ways in which it is perceived, feared, embraced, managed, and even marketed.
Part of "Blue Ribbon Papers Series", this title presents the autobiographies of scholars who have made significant contributions to symbolic interactionist approach over the 20th and 21st centuries.
"Human action is guided by social structure, but there are also many situations in which behavior is improvised, emergent, and outside conventional normative constraints. This book focuses on these types of occasions, which include panics, crowds, social movements, and organized behavior following disasters. Social scientists in the fields of collective behavior, social movements, and disaster research study these topics. E. L. Quarantelli, cofounder and longtime director of the Disaster Research Center (DRC), is one of those scholars; indeed, he has devoted his career to understanding them. Quarantelli's impact on the fields of disaster research and collective behavior is traced in the foreword to this volume."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Acclaim for the first edition: 'The scope of the volume is vast and, overall, the Handbook amounts to an almost encyclopaedic reference text for scholars of environmental questions across the social sciences, be they in sociology, geography, political science or wherever.' – Neil Ward, Environmental Politics 'Each author writes with a distinctive style, yet the work flows well because the editors selected recognized scholars with outstanding credentials. Academic libraries, especially those serving a strong social science community, will find this work a worthwhile addition. Professors of sociology and environmental studies could use the essays for additional readings and reviews.' – Mar...
Provides an overview of the various types of disasters that may occur, the myriad of actors that are involved in emergency management, and the diverse theoretical frameworks from which post-disaster activities may be approached. • Includes updated chapters keeping the material fresh and accessible while incorporating recent changes in policy and new research • Highlights lessons learned from such incidents and catastrophes as: Hurricane Katrina, Earthquake in Haiti, Parking lot collapse in Miami, West Texas industrial explosion, Train wreck in Spain, Aurora movie shooting, Times Square bombing, etc. • Examines typical challenges to be expected during response efforts along with tools and techniques to enhance the ability to protect lives, reduce property damage and minimize disruption • Includes an instructor package which contains: Sample Syllabus, Teaching Suggestions, Test bank, and PowerPoints