THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF DISASTERS: DISASTERS:

IIMPROVING SOCIETAL RESILIENCE MPROVING SOCIETAL RESILIENCE THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF

SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCHSOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Kathleen TierneyKathleen Tierney

Department of Sociology Department of Sociology

Natural Hazards CenterNatural Hazards Center

University of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of Colorado at Boulder

SOCIOLOGY AND DISASTERS: SOCIOLOGY AND DISASTERS: KEY AREAS OF FOCUSKEY AREAS OF FOCUS

Social Factors and Disaster Social Factors and Disaster VulnerabilityVulnerability

Disaster-Related Collective Disaster-Related Collective BehaviorBehavior

Social Networks and ResilienceSocial Networks and Resilience

Risk Communication and Disaster Risk Communication and Disaster WarningsWarnings

SOCIAL FACTORS AND SOCIAL FACTORS AND DISASTER VULNERABILITYDISASTER VULNERABILITY

Who Prepares?Who Prepares?

Who Suffers Who Suffers Disproportionate Disproportionate Losses?Losses?

Who is More Able to Who is More Able to Recover?Recover?

VULNERABILITY RELATED TO…VULNERABILITY RELATED TO…

Income and Income and Educational LevelsEducational Levels

Minority Group Minority Group Status, Language Status, Language Barriers, Citizenship Barriers, Citizenship StatusStatus

““Social Capital” and Social Capital” and Access to Access to Resources Resources

DISASTER-RELATED DISASTER-RELATED COLLECTIVE BEHAVIORCOLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR

Spontaneous Spontaneous Volunteers, Volunteers, Formation of Formation of Emergent GroupsEmergent Groups

Massive Altruism, Massive Altruism, DonationsDonations

DISASTER-RELATED DISASTER-RELATED COLLECTIVE BEHAVIORCOLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR

Adaptive, Pro-Social Responses—Adaptive, Pro-Social Responses—Not Maladaptive, Panicky BehaviorNot Maladaptive, Panicky Behavior

COLLECTIVE IMPROVISATION: COLLECTIVE IMPROVISATION: RESTORING THE NEW YORK CITY RESTORING THE NEW YORK CITY

EOC AFTER SEPT. 11EOC AFTER SEPT. 11

SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS AND DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

Emergent Multi-organizational Emergent Multi-organizational Networks and Disaster Networks and Disaster ResponseResponse

Networks versus HierarchiesNetworks versus Hierarchies

Communicating Risk and Communicating Risk and Warning the PublicWarning the Public

Social Factors in Risk Communication Social Factors in Risk Communication and Warning Processesand Warning Processes

Warnings and Warning System Design: Warnings and Warning System Design: How to Encourage Self-Protective How to Encourage Self-Protective BehaviorBehavior

Natural Hazards Research Natural Hazards Research and Applications and Applications Information CenterInformation Center

University of Colorado University of Colorado

482 UCB482 UCB

Boulder, CO 80309-0482Boulder, CO 80309-0482

Phone: (303) 492-6818Phone: (303) 492-6818

Web: www.colorado.edu/hazardsWeb: www.colorado.edu/hazards

Reactions to Disaster: 50 Years Reactions to Disaster: 50 Years of Social Scienceof Social Science

Lee ClarkeLee Clarke

Department of SociologyDepartment of SociologyRutgers UniversityRutgers University

leeclarke.comleeclarke.com

Three Main PointsThree Main Points

Disasters, warnings, & bad news do not Disasters, warnings, & bad news do not induce panicinduce panic

There’s a crucial difference between There’s a crucial difference between “official” responders and “first” responders“official” responders and “first” responders

Trust Trust is the key to effective risk is the key to effective risk communicationcommunication

TheThe image of panic image of panic

The reality of non-panic

Non-panic finding is robustNon-panic finding is robust

•Research from US Strategic Bombing Survey

•Plane crashes

•Natural disasters

•Biologically threatening events1793 yellow fever in Philadelphia1918 Spanish flu1984 Rajneesh cult attack1932-1945 Japanese attacks on China

Who are “first responders”?Who are “first responders”?

Construction workers next to Cypress Viaduct, Loma Prieta earthquake

The stranger next to you in a restaurant.The stranger next to you in a restaurant.

The coworker in the next cubicle.The coworker in the next cubicle.

Neighbors, friends, passersby.Neighbors, friends, passersby.

Teachers: 20% of American population is Teachers: 20% of American population is in K-12 for ½ the year.in K-12 for ½ the year.

Who are “first responders”?Who are “first responders”?

Bad risk communicationBad risk communicationMilwaukee smallpox riots, 1894Milwaukee smallpox riots, 1894

From: J. W. Leavitt, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science, 2003, 1(3).

Good risk communicationGood risk communicationNYC smallpox vaccinations, 1947NYC smallpox vaccinations, 1947

From: J. W. Leavitt, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science, 2003, 1(3).

Take awaysTake aways

Give more & detailed information, even if it is Give more & detailed information, even if it is frighteningfrightening

Avoid slogans and condescensionAvoid slogans and condescension

People die the same way they live: in families, People die the same way they live: in families, faith based organizations, networks, etc.faith based organizations, networks, etc.

Push disaster resources to local levelPush disaster resources to local level

PeoplePeople are also “critical infrastructure”are also “critical infrastructure”

People don’t typically overreact to bad news—People don’t typically overreact to bad news—unless they perceive the messenger is unless they perceive the messenger is untrustworthy. Leaders must earn the trust.untrustworthy. Leaders must earn the trust.

Learning from Heat Waves: Learning from Heat Waves: How a How a Social AutopsySocial Autopsy can can

Help to Prevent Future Help to Prevent Future DisastersDisasters

Eric Klinenberg Eric Klinenberg New York UniversityNew York University

ek52@nyu.eduek52@nyu.edu

Age of Spectacular DisastersAge of Spectacular Disasters

World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterSpace shuttles (Columbia, Challenger)Space shuttles (Columbia, Challenger)Hurricanes (Hugo)Hurricanes (Hugo)

These catastrophes capture our attention. But These catastrophes capture our attention. But they are not the most deadly.they are not the most deadly.

Much of US disaster policy is based on insuring Much of US disaster policy is based on insuring property or preventing property damage. How property or preventing property damage. How can we use disaster policy to prevent deaths?can we use disaster policy to prevent deaths?

Heat WavesHeat Waves

In the United States, heat waves kill more In the United States, heat waves kill more people than all of the so-called “natural people than all of the so-called “natural disasters” disasters” combinedcombined. In Chicago, more than 700 . In Chicago, more than 700 people died during one week of 1995.people died during one week of 1995.

This summer, Europe suffered around 20,000 This summer, Europe suffered around 20,000 deaths during a long heat wave. deaths during a long heat wave.

What can we learn from these events?What can we learn from these events?

Disasters help to reveal conditions Disasters help to reveal conditions that are always present that are always present but difficult to perceivebut difficult to perceive

By studying disasters sociologically, we can By studying disasters sociologically, we can better understand the source of our better understand the source of our vulnerability.vulnerability.

““The Social AutopsyThe Social Autopsy” – Opens up the city ” – Opens up the city and examines the social and political organs and examines the social and political organs that break down in a crisis. We explain that break down in a crisis. We explain causes of death in order to protect life.causes of death in order to protect life.

Emerging Conditions Revealed in Emerging Conditions Revealed in Recent Heat WavesRecent Heat Waves

Rise of population that is living and dying aloneRise of population that is living and dying alone– Social deprivation as an everyday conditionSocial deprivation as an everyday condition– Certain neighborhood conditions foster isolation and Certain neighborhood conditions foster isolation and

insecurityinsecurity

What can governments do to assist vulnerable What can governments do to assist vulnerable people who are living alone?people who are living alone?– Compile official lists to identify the isolatedCompile official lists to identify the isolated– Offer special outreach and assistance in crisesOffer special outreach and assistance in crises– Connect with service providers Connect with service providers

Emerging Conditions Revealed in Emerging Conditions Revealed in Recent Heat WavesRecent Heat Waves

Problems with urban infrastructure and energyProblems with urban infrastructure and energy– Power outages are common during heat wavesPower outages are common during heat waves– More efficient air conditioners? More reliable energy More efficient air conditioners? More reliable energy

sources?sources?

Everyday energy crisis: Everyday energy crisis: Low Income Home Low Income Home Energy Assistance ProgramEnergy Assistance Program funds are funds are insufficient to meet demand in citiesinsufficient to meet demand in cities

Emerging Conditions Revealed in Emerging Conditions Revealed in Recent Heat WavesRecent Heat Waves

Problems with policy responses:Problems with policy responses:– Role of paramedics inside fire department. Do Role of paramedics inside fire department. Do

they have authority to call in back-up?they have authority to call in back-up?– Links between emergency rooms and health Links between emergency rooms and health

department. Who is monitoring?department. Who is monitoring?– How should community police officers help?How should community police officers help?– Coordinating functions of mayor’s offices – Coordinating functions of mayor’s offices –

danger that public relations response can get in the danger that public relations response can get in the way of disaster responseway of disaster response

Preventing Heat DeathsPreventing Heat Deaths

Work with meteorologists to detect dangerous Work with meteorologists to detect dangerous weather and with media to issue public warningsweather and with media to issue public warnings

Reach out to isolated people and vulnerable Reach out to isolated people and vulnerable areasareas

Coordinate muliti-agency disaster responseCoordinate muliti-agency disaster response

Monitor hospitals and cooperate with medical Monitor hospitals and cooperate with medical examinerexaminer

After crisis, openly examine what went wrong. After crisis, openly examine what went wrong. Share what we learn as widely as possible.Share what we learn as widely as possible.

Eric KlinenbergEric Klinenberg

Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in ChicagoDisaster in Chicago

Department of SociologyDepartment of Sociology

New York UniversityNew York University

ek52@nyu.eduek52@nyu.edu