Social Vulnerability: A New Paradigm for Disaster Research

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Social VulnerabilityA New Paradigm
forDisaster Research
Bam, Iran Earthquake
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina

• Kathleen Tierney
• Department of Sociology Institute of Behavioral
  Science
• Natural Hazards Center
• University of Colorado, Boulder

IBHS Annual Conference, Orlando, FLA, Nov. 16,
2006
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What This Talk Isnt About

• How Disaster Losses Are Skyrocketing Worldwide
• Hazard Insurance
• Economic Incentives for Disaster Loss Reduction

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What This Talk Is About

• The Societal Dimensions of Vulnerability and Loss
• New Ways of Understanding Disaster Vulnerability
  Vulnerability Studies
• Vulnerability, Resilience, and Social Capital

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Vulnerability StudiesA Multidisciplinary Field

• Physical Sciences, Engineering, Environmental
  Science
• Spatial Social Science/Geography/GIS
• Sociology
• Other Social Sciences (Anthropology, Political
  Economy, Policy Studies, etc.)

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Social Vulnerability Paradigm Key Assumptions

• Disasters and Disaster Impacts are Socially
  ProducedNot Caused by Meteorological, Geological
  Events
• Vulnerability is Linked to Larger-Scale Societal
  and Global Processes and Their Interaction With
  Extreme Events, Which Act as Triggers
• Vulnerability is also Linked to Social-Structural
  Features of Communities and Societies, e.g.
  Poverty Inequality, Access to Resources

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Contributors to Vulnerability

• Hazardousness of Place, Environmental and
  Ecological Context
• Vulnerability of the Built Environment
• Socially Structured Population, Group, Community,
  and Societal Characteristics

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Ecological, Environmental Sources of
Vulnerability

• Loss, Depletion of Ecosystem Services (Barrier
  Islands, Wetlands, Other Natural Protections)
• JARring Actions (Jeopardizing Assets That Are
  Remote)
• Development Pressures
• Protective Works, Moral Hazard

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The Built Environment 2003 Bam
Earthquake Vulnerability of Traditional Adobe
Construction
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The Built Environment
Residential Damage Northridge Earthquake
Levee Breaks Hurricane Katrina
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Social and PopulationVulnerability

• Who Has Access to Safe, Well-
• Built Residential and Commercial Property?
• Who Mitigates, Prepares, Can Undertake Protective
• Measures?
• Who Suffers Disproportionate Losses?
• Who is More Resilient, Able to Recover?

Indian Ocean Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina
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Social Vulnerability Influenced By

• Income and Educational Levels
• Socially-Structured Access to Self-Protective
  Options
• Disability, Age
• Minority Group Status, Gender, Language Barriers
• Social Capital

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Poverty And Vulnerability Hurricane Katrina
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Other Examples

• 1995 Chicago Heat Wave Mortality, Social
  Networks, and Neighborhood Characteristics
• Indian Ocean Tsunami
• Mortality, Gender, and
• Recovery

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Vulnerability vs. Resilience

• Social Resilience as the Capacity to Identify,
  Exercise Self-Protective Choices
• Access to Information
• Access to a Wide Array of Options
• Resilience and Social Capital

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US National Research Council Report, Facing
Hazards and Disasters Understanding Human
Dimensions (2006)

• Argues for the Importance of Social Capital-Based
  Strategies in Enabling Households, Social Groups,
  Neighborhoods, Community Sectors to Reduce
  Disaster Losses

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Societal Dimensions of ResilienceThe Relevance
of Social Capital

• Social Capital (Bourdieu, Putnam--Bowling Alone)
• Assets, Advantages Linked to Social
  PositionEspecially Positions in Social Networks
• Assets Include Information, Social Support,
  Social Solidarity, Civic Engagement, Political
  Influence, Trust, Access to Monetary Resources,
  Capacity for Collective Action

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Social Capital Indicators

• Civic Associations, Community-Based Groups
  Voluntary Organizations, Occupationally-Based
  Organizations, Other Indicators of Civic
  Engagement
• Formal and Informal Social NetworksBoth Within
  and Between Groups
• Presence of Intermediary and Advocacy Groups
  (e.g., for Elderly, Persons With Disabilities)
• Capacity to Influence Community Decisions
• Ties that Extend Beyond Local Community, e.g.
  With State and Federal Government, Industry

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Social Capital and Disaster Resilience Examples

• Promotes Hazard and Disaster Information Sharing,
  Dissemination
• Provides Material Emotional Support
• Helps Identify Pre- and Post-Disaster Needs
• Links Victims With Resources
• Results in Institutional Trust, Not Suspicion
• Strengthens Group Influence
• Facilitates Extra-Community Collaborations
• Promotes Collective Action, Strengthens Ability
  to Exert Political Pressure

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Your Interest in Reducing Vulnerability and
Promoting Resilience

• Better-Informed Residents of At-Risk Communities
• --Knowledge of Mitigation Measures
• --Understanding of Other Protective Options
• for Life Safety and Property Protection
• Greater Self-Sufficiency During and After
  Disasters
• Engaged Citizenry, Informed Consumers

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• Natural Hazards Center
• University of Colorado
• 482 UCB
• Boulder, CO 80309-0482

Phone [phone] Web www.colorado.edu/hazar
ds