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Natural Hazards and Society > Lecture 2 - Disaster Hazard & Research > Flashcards

Lecture 2 - Disaster Hazard & Research Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the historical natural hazard research frameworks? (3 points)

A
  • Paradigms of a hazard
  • Human ecology and the dominant (behavioural) paradigm
  • The critical backlash of the 1980s and 1990s
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2
Q

What happened during the pre-1940 Engineering paradigm ?

A

Scientific forecasting and construction of large structures designed to defend against natural hazards

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3
Q

What happened in the 1940-1970s dominant (behavioural) paradigm?

A

Improved short-term warning and better long term planning so that areas can adapt and prevent living in cities prone to natural hazards

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4
Q

What happened during the 1970-1990s radical (structuralist paradigm?

A

Human vulnerability considered according to disaster and an understanding how low economic development and dependency contribute to disaster

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5
Q

What happened in the 1990 complexity paradigm ?

A

Emphasis on the complicated interactions between natural and human systems; leading to improvement in the long-term management of hazards according to local needs

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6
Q

How is religion connected to hazards and disasters across different societies and history?

A

Religious responses to disasters are present in most faith traditions across different societies and history

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7
Q

What has academic scholarship said about the influence of religion on the understanding of disasters?

A

Academic scholarship often criticises the influence of religion on how people understand disasters

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8
Q

Do religious beliefs prevent people from taking practical measures or accepting help during disasters? (2 points)

A
  • Some people resist relief efforts due to religious beliefs, but this is rare
  • For most, peoples beliefs do not prevent practical actions to reduce hazard exposure or acceptance of civil help.
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9
Q

What is ‘parallel practice’ or ‘cognitive dissonance’ in the context of religion and hazards?

A

Holding two conflicting worldviews or opinions while acting against one is called ‘parallel practice’ or ‘cognitive dissonance’ in the literature

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10
Q

What are the origins of the natural hazards field of research?

A

The natural hazards field has its roots in geography and human ecology

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11
Q

Who introduced the concept of human ecology and what does it mean?

A

Harlan H. Barrows
Clarify the relationship between natural environments and the distribution and activities of humans

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12
Q

How did Gilbert F. White build on Barrows’ work in human ecology ?

A

Explored human occupation and adjustment to floods in the US
Publishing Human adjustment to floods in 1945, focusing on how humans adapt to flood risks and uncertainty

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13
Q

What was the 1927 Mississippi Flood and its impact?

A

The 1927 Mississippi Flood resulted from prolonged rainfall and levee breaks
Flooded 70,000km2 of land
$400 million in damaged
Killed 247 people
Recent research suggests that damages and loss of life was underestimated particularly for marginalised communities

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14
Q

What was the focus of the dominant (behavioural) paradigm in hazard research?

A

Understanding how humans adjust to risks and uncertainty in relation to natural hazards, particularly floods, and how this understanding informs public policy

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15
Q

How do people and society cope with natural hazards ?

A

Adjustment and adaption

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16
Q

What are the actions of coping with natural hazards called?

A

Human responses
Coping actions
Mitigation actions
Adjustments
Adaptations

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17
Q

what are the two main approaches in the range of theoretical adjustments to hazards?

A
  1. Affecting the cause
  2. Adjusting to losses
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18
Q

How can hazards be modified to reduce their impact ? (2 points)

A

Modify the hazard
Modify the loss potential

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19
Q

What are some ways to adjust to losses from hazards? (3 points)

A
  • Spread the losses
  • Plan for losses
  • Bear the losses
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20
Q

What is an example of the theoretical range of adjustments to lava flows?

A
  • Bear the loss (common in poor countries and historically)
  • Plan for losses (e.g., insurance, reserve fund)
  • Spread the losses (e.g., public relief, subsidized insurance)
  • Modify the loss potential (e.g., warning systems, emergency evacuation, land-use change)
  • Modify the hazard (e.g., protect installations, alter flow direction)
  • Affect the cause (no known method for lava flows)
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21
Q

What is the primary goal of national and international policies under the dominant (behavioural) paradigm for disaster management?

A

To improve the capacity of each country to mitigate the effects of natural disasters

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22
Q

How do national and international policies prioritise helping developing countries in disaster management?

A

By assisting developing countries in disaster damage assessment and establishing early warning systems and disaster-resistant structures

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23
Q

What is emphasised when applying scientific and technical knowledge to disaster management?

A

Guidelines and strategies should take into account cultural and economic diversity among nations

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24
Q

What are the goals of scientific and engineering efforts in the context of the dominant (behavioural) paradigm?

A

To close critical gaps in knowledge to reduce loss of life and property during disasters

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25
Q

What role does information dissemination play in disaster management ?

A

Disseminating both existing and new technical information related to disaster assessment, prediction, and mitigation is crucial.

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26
Q

What methods are proposed for enhancing disaster management through international cooperation?

A

Through technical assistance, technology transfer, demonstration projects, and education and training

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27
Q

What is the main focus of the radical (structuralist) paradigm in disaster research?

A

It suggests that disasters have their root causes in societies, not the natural hazard itself

28
Q

What is the significance of Kenneth Hewitt’s (1983) paper “interpretations of calamity” in the context of disaster research?

A

It is considered the seminal paper in the critical backlash against the dominant paradigm of hazard research in the 1980s and 90s

29
Q

Where did the initial research of radical critics, like Kenneth Hewitt, primarily focus?

A

Their research initially focused on disasters in poor developing countries

30
Q

What concept did Paul Susan (1983) introduce into the hazards literature, and what does it argue?

A
  • Marxist concept of marginalisation
  • Disasters in developing countries arise from the pre-existing marginalisation of certain sectors of society, not just the hazard itself
31
Q

What did Kenneth Hewitt reflect on in his book Regions of Risk (1997) ?

A

Radical critique and highlighted flaws in common disaster assumption, especially in the context of poor countries

32
Q

Why is the statement “Disasters are considered accidents and unplanned within a society” flawed according to Hewitt?

A

Hewitt argues that this view overlooks the underlying societal factors that contribute to disasters, especially in poor countries.

33
Q

Why is the assumption that “Disasters contrast with normal conditions” problematic according to the marginalization theory?

A

This assumption ignores how marginalized communities may face ongoing vulnerabilities that blur the line between disaster and normal conditions.

34
Q

What does Hewitt say about the idea that “Disasters are islands of disorder”?

A

Hewitt suggests this is flawed because it fails to recognize how disasters are often a result of pre-existing societal issues.

35
Q

Why is the belief that “Normality may be restored by superior technical expertise” criticized in Regions of Risk?

A

This belief is criticized for assuming that technical solutions alone can solve disasters, without addressing deeper social inequalities.

36
Q

What is wrong with the idea that “Hazard reduction equals the application of science, technology, and institutional initiatives”?

A

Hewitt argues that relying solely on science and technology ignores the need to address social, economic, and political factors that contribute to disaster risk.

37
Q

How do the dominant and radical approaches to hazard analysis compare?

A

They are at extreme ends of a continuum, and most hazard analysts focus their work somewhere in between these approaches.

38
Q

What is the key difference between long-onset and short-onset disasters?

A
  • Long-onset, long-term disasters (e.g., droughts in poor countries) are often linked to the radical approach.
  • Short-onset, short-term disasters (e.g., earthquakes in California) align with the dominant focus.
39
Q

What shift occurred in disaster research since the 1990s?

A

There has been a growing emphasis on “disasters” rather than “hazards.”

40
Q

How has the concept of vulnerability changed in disaster research?

A

Human vulnerability has become a central component, viewing hazards as interactions between extreme events and vulnerable populations.

41
Q

Why must hazard approaches be ‘in cultured’ or tailored to place?

A

Successful hazard management requires a bespoke approach that considers the specific details of societies, cultures, and places.

42
Q

What is the definition of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

A
  • Disaster risk reduction aims to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risk while managing residual risk.
  • It strengthens resilience and contributes to sustainable development through defined goals, objectives, concrete targets, indicators, and time frames.
43
Q

What are the landmark policy developments in Disaster Risk Reduction led by the United Nations?

A

The UN established frameworks for disaster risk reduction, emphasizing international cooperation and strategies for mitigating disaster risks.

44
Q

What was the IDNDR and its significance?

A
  • The IDNDR (International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction) was designated by the United Nations for the decade of the 1990s (1990-2000).
  • It aimed to reduce loss of life, property destruction, and social disruption caused by natural disasters through concerted international actions, particularly in developing countries.
45
Q

What were the basic objectives of the IDNDR?

A

To reduce the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, droughts, and locust infestations.

46
Q

What specific goals were set for countries by the year 2000 under the IDNDR?

A

All countries should have:
Comprehensive national assessments of risk from natural hazards.
Mitigation plans at national and/or local levels.
Ready access to global, regional, national, and local warning systems.

47
Q

What was the Yokohama Strategy, and when was it introduced?

A

The Yokohama Strategy was a product of the IDNDR, introduced during the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction in 1994.

48
Q

What gap did the Yokohama Conference recognize in the IDNDR’s goals?

A

The conference acknowledged the gap between the IDNDR’s goals and the reality of disaster risk management.

49
Q

What conclusion did the Yokohama Conference reach regarding the integration of technical solutions?

A

Technical solutions could only achieve disaster reduction goals if integrated within an appropriate socioeconomic and political framework

50
Q

What major shift occurred after the end of the IDNDR decade?

A

The successor to the IDNDR, the ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction), marked a shift from disaster response to disaster reduction.

51
Q

What are the four main objectives of the ISDR?

A
  • Increase public awareness about risk, vulnerability, and disaster reduction.
  • Obtain commitment from public authorities for disaster reduction policies.
  • Stimulate interdisciplinary and intersectoral partnerships.
  • Improve scientific knowledge about disaster reduction
52
Q

What change occurred to the ISDR in 2019?

A

In 2019, the ISDR changed its name to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to align its office name with its acronym.

53
Q

What is the mandate of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)?

A

The UNDRR’s mandate is to coordinate UN disaster reduction programs and bring together governments, partners, and communities to reduce disaster risk and losses for a safer, sustainable future.

54
Q

How can disasters and vulnerability be conceptualized according to different paradigms and approaches?

A

Different paradigms and approaches lead to different models and frameworks for conceptualizing disasters and vulnerability.

55
Q

What recent discussion has emerged regarding vulnerability in disaster research?

A

Recent discussions suggest that vulnerability should be balanced by resilience, as evidenced by societies facing disasters.

56
Q

Who is Jean-Christophe Gaillard, and what is his contribution to the vulnerability and resilience discussion?

A

Jean-Christophe Gaillard, from the University of Grenoble, is a key contributor to discussions on vulnerability and resilience in disaster research.

57
Q

In Gaillard’s 2007 article, what does he say about the difference between resilience and vulnerability?

A

Resilience differs from vulnerability by addressing the capabilities and ways people deal with crises and disasters. Resilient societies can overcome damage from natural hazards.

58
Q

What four factors does Gaillard identify as determining resilience in traditional societies?

A
  • The nature of the hazard.
  • Pre-disaster social conditions.
  • The geographical setting.
  • The rehabilitation policy set up by the authorities.
59
Q

What are the three shifts in disaster thought according to Manyena et al. (2011)?

A

Disaster thought shifted through:
Acts of God
Acts of Nature
Acts of Men and Women

60
Q

What does Twigg (2007) suggest about resilience and vulnerability?

A

Twigg (2007) suggests that resilience and vulnerability are different sides of the same coin.

61
Q

What factors do resilience and vulnerability rely on, and how are they conceptualized in the Manyena et al. paper?

A

Both rely on demographic, social, cultural, economic, and political factors. However, the paper argues that resilience and vulnerability are discrete concepts.

62
Q

What does “bounce back” mean in the context of disaster resilience?

A

“Bounce back” refers to people’s ability to recover in the shortest time with minimal or no assistance after a disaster.

63
Q

Why might “bouncing back” not always lead to progress after a disaster?

A

In some cases, “bouncing back” could increase vulnerability if the correct post-disaster decisions are not made.

64
Q

How does Manyena et al. (2011) define disaster resilience on page 419?

A

Disaster resilience is the intrinsic capacity of a system, community, or society to “bounce forward” and adapt, changing non-essential attributes to survive and rebuild.

65
Q

What is the concept of “bounce-forward,” and why is it important in resilience?

A

“Bounce-forward” refers to moving to a better, less vulnerable state after a disaster, which is essential within the overall notion of resilience.

Natural Hazards and Society (4 decks)

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