Development in Disaster-Prone Places: Studies of Vulnerability

"Development in Disaster-Prone Places is another must-read in terms of how to understand vulnerability and disasters. The book focuses on the political and social processes which lead to disasters – the long-term processes. The author gives the theory and looks at a lot of case studies around the world of these failures in practice and how to improve. People and governments don’t tend to think in the long term and think about disasters in isolation, rather than tackling how vulnerability can be reduced to avoid disaster. “People and governments tend to think about disasters in isolation, rather than tackling how vulnerability can be reduced to avoid disaster.” This approach is important for disaster diplomacy theoretically and practically. Theoretically, in terms of laying a foundation that helps to understand why disaster diplomacy tends not to work, despite many who want it to work and actively try to make it work. Practically, in terms of the book introducing several important disaster diplomacy case studies, including Samoa, Nicaragua and Bangladesh."