The human dimension of disasters
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A synthesis of ideas on the root causes and the consequences of disasters, from the world-wide to the local scale.
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The human dimension of disasters
- 1. The Human Dimension of Disasters The Human Dimension of Disasters David Alexander University College London
- 2. Human misery Human misery ●poverty ●disease ●malnutrition ●conflict ●displacement ●disasters ●poverty ●disease ●malnutrition ●conflict ●displacement ●disasters ... and climate change...?... and climate change...?
- 3. Disaster Risk ReductionDisaster Risk Reduction or disaster risk creation?or disaster risk creation?
- 4. Alan Kurdi 2015 To see our world as it is.
- 5. Xenophobia distrust of unfamiliar people Xenophobia distrust of unfamiliar people Compassion desire to help refugees Compassion desire to help refugees Rejectionism it is not our problem Rejectionism it is not our problem Distancing not in my back yard Distancing not in my back yard The age of mass cognitive dissonanceThe age of mass cognitive dissonance Charity willingness to donate Charity willingness to donate
- 8. Capital is winning against labour: when will the tide turn? Capital is winning against labour: when will the tide turn? US$7.6 trillion hidden in 87 tax havens, 43 people are as rich as half the world. US$7.6 trillion hidden in 87 tax havens, 43 people are as rich as half the world.
- 9. • consolidate power structures• consolidate power structures • augment profits, redistribute wealth• augment profits, redistribute wealth • allow introduction of conveniently repressive measures • allow introduction of conveniently repressive measures • permit gratuitous social engineering.• permit gratuitous social engineering. The economic and social VALUE of disasters The economic and social VALUE of disasters
- 10. Disasters are a vehicle for economic, social and political opportunism
- 11. Lesson to be learned: We will never even understand the problem, let alone solve it, unless we start being realistic about the world in which we live. Lesson to be learned: We will never even understand the problem, let alone solve it, unless we start being realistic about the world in which we live.
- 12. Whatever decisions are made about disaster risk reduction, they should be based on evidence.
- 13. • base decisions on accumulated evidence of what actually happens • base decisions on accumulated evidence of what actually happens • widely used in medicine, recommended for DRR • widely used in medicine, recommended for DRR • migration studies, for instance, badly need an evidence base • migration studies, for instance, badly need an evidence base • BUT: evidence can be misleading, inconsistent or indeterminate • BUT: evidence can be misleading, inconsistent or indeterminate "Evidence-based practice""Evidence-based practice" • it can defy interpretation, be misused or be used selectively. • it can defy interpretation, be misused or be used selectively.
- 14. • decisions are seldom made on the basis of evidence and research • decisions are seldom made on the basis of evidence and research • there is a general lack of interest in disaster risk reduction • there is a general lack of interest in disaster risk reduction • corruption is one of the principal causes of disaster. • corruption is one of the principal causes of disaster. Some home truths about disaster risk reduction Some home truths about disaster risk reduction • the world disaster relief system is extremely inefficient and in crisis • the world disaster relief system is extremely inefficient and in crisis
- 15. • corruption• corruption • political decision-making• political decision-making • shoddy building (often wilful)• shoddy building (often wilful) • ignorance (sometimes wilful)• ignorance (sometimes wilful) • seismicity.• seismicity. What causes earthquake disasters? - in probable order of importance - What causes earthquake disasters? - in probable order of importance -
- 16. VulnerabilityVulnerability Total: life is generally precarious Economic: people lack adequate occupation Technological/technocratic: due to the riskiness of technology Delinquent: caused by corruption, negligence, etc. Residual: caused by lack of modernisation Newly generated: caused by changes in circumstances Total: life is generally precarious Economic: people lack adequate occupation Technological/technocratic: due to the riskiness of technology Delinquent: caused by corruption, negligence, etc. Residual: caused by lack of modernisation Newly generated: caused by changes in circumstances
- 17. Community
- 18. • there is no characteristic defining scale • there is no characteristic defining scale • communities are not necessarily homogeneous or harmonious units • communities are not necessarily homogeneous or harmonious units • community identity is a highly variable phenomenon • community identity is a highly variable phenomenon • power structures control decision making • power structures control decision making • marginalised communities have no power. • marginalised communities have no power. What is a community?What is a community?
- 19. • communities are not particularly interested in DRR • communities are not particularly interested in DRR • neither are governments• neither are governments • disasters can be explained with reference to power structures • disasters can be explained with reference to power structures • people, governments & communities seldom act on evidence and research • people, governments & communities seldom act on evidence and research Community disaster risk reduction: the lessons Community disaster risk reduction: the lessons • rationality can only be defined in context.• rationality can only be defined in context.
- 20. What is reality? What is rationality? What is reality? What is rationality?
- 21. In science we are taught that there is only one reality and we must search for it. In science we are taught that there is only one reality and we must search for it. Actually, there are many different realities.Actually, there are many different realities.
- 22. Serious conclusion: there is not one reality, but there are many of them. Serious conclusion: there is not one reality, but there are many of them.
- 23. • Corruption and human rights: strong determinants of disaster vulnerability. • Corruption and human rights: strong determinants of disaster vulnerability. • Power structures: control decision making and explain how disaster impacts are distributed. • Power structures: control decision making and explain how disaster impacts are distributed. • 'Elite capture': influential people and groups capture the DRR agenda. • 'Elite capture': influential people and groups capture the DRR agenda. Reality: the world as it isReality: the world as it is
- 25. What is welfare?What is welfare? The provision of care to a minimum acceptable standard to people who are unable adequately to look after themselves. The provision of care to a minimum acceptable standard to people who are unable adequately to look after themselves. But we also need to focus on what welfare is NOT... But we also need to focus on what welfare is NOT...
- 26. • in a globalised world sovereignty is a myth • in a globalised world sovereignty is a myth • so is self-determination (we live in a world of manufactured consent) • so is self-determination (we live in a world of manufactured consent) • identity and nationality are recent and transient concepts • identity and nationality are recent and transient concepts • disaster open a window on society: what will it show?. • disaster open a window on society: what will it show?. Some assertions...Some assertions...
- 27. Displacement and migration Displacement and migration Climate change adaptation Climate change adaptation Disaster response and mitigation Disaster response and mitigation
- 28. Climate changeClimate change TerrorismTerrorism Displacement and migration Displacement and migration Pandemics and epidemics Pandemics and epidemics Population increasePopulation increase EnvironmentalchangeEnvironmentalchange ConflictConflict Technological disasters and major incidents Technological disasters and major incidents 'Natural' disasters 'Natural' disasters
- 29. Justice system Rights Responsibilities Moral Ethical Legal Constitution DisasterDisaster Context of disaster
- 30. Disaster risk reduction and human rights are profoundly connected. Disaster risk reduction and human rights are profoundly connected.
- 31. Culture
- 32. Long term Short term Emic components Etic components METAMORPHOSIS OF CULTURE Experiences of culture [mass-media and consumer culture] Accumulated cultural traits and beliefs Inherited cultural background Ideological (non-scientific) interpretations of disaster Learned (scientific) interpretations of disaster
- 35. Cultural filter Cultural filter Risk management practices Risk management practices Benign Malignant Technology as a source of risk reduction Technology as an inadvertent source of risk Technology as a deliberate source of risk Ceaseless development of technology
- 36. Technology as risk mitigation Technology as risk mitigation Technology as a source of vulnerability Technology as a source of vulnerability Research, development and investment in technology Research, development and investment in technology individual family peer group organisation community society international Culturalfilter SociocentrismSociocentrism TechnocentrismTechnocentrism
- 38. BENIGN (healthy) at the service of the people BENIGN (healthy) at the service of the people MALIGN (corrupt) at the service of vested interests MALIGN (corrupt) at the service of vested interests interplay dialectic JustificationJustification DevelopmentDevelopment [spiritual, cultural, political, economic][spiritual, cultural, political, economic] IDEOLOGY CULTURE
- 39. Conclusions
- 40. THE PILLARS OF MODERN LIFETHE PILLARS OF MODERN LIFE idealism principle belief faith fanaticism ultranationalism authoritarianism backlash virtue charity service defence of principles unscrupulousness corruption opportunism censure capital availability wealth diffusion financial security financial repression debt burden consumerism ingegnuity pragmatism technological progress crass materialism galloping consumption pollution and waste technological hegemony Ideocentrism Morality Luchrocentrism Technocentrism SPIRITSPIRITFLESHFLESH PHILOSOPHICALPHILOSOPHICALMECHANISTICMECHANISTIC Positive Negative
- 41. ...culturally conditioned....culturally conditioned. Ideocentrism + ideal: effective disaster mitigation - fanaticism: politicization of humanitarian relief Morality + virtue: untiring application of mitigation measures - corruption: failure to observe building codes Luchrocentrism + financial security: monetary reserves vs. disaster - financial repression: poverty --> vulnerability Technocentrism + ingenuity: new hazard monitoring systems - technological hegemony: unfair distribution of mitigation benefits