The social impact of natural hazards: a multi‐level analysis of disasters and forms of trust in mainland China

This study aimed to assess the multi‐level effects of natural hazards on trust in Chinese society. Drawing on the Chinese General Social Survey conducted in 2012 and provincial disaster damage records, it examined the association between individuals’ past experiences of disasters and province‐level damage (measured by the number of affected people, deaths, and economic loss) and various forms of trust: in‐group; out‐group; generalised; and political. The findings indicate that Chinese individuals with experience of disasters have higher levels of out‐group trust but lower levels of political trust. Similarly, at the province level, damage owing to disasters over the past three years (2009–11) positively impacted on residents’ out‐group trust while negatively affecting their political trust. However, when provincial damage was aggregated for disasters over the past five years (2007–11), which included the devastating Sichuan earthquake on 12 May 2008, only total deaths had a positive effect on generalised trust.     

The role of coalitions in disaster policymaking

Disasters have the potential to act as focusing events, which can increase the amount of attention on disaster‐related problems and encourage policy action. Understanding of the political characteristics of disaster policymaking is underdeveloped, yet it is known that these features may be dissimilar to those of non‐disaster policy areas, especially concerning the coalitions of policy actors engaged in the disaster policy process. Coalitions in the realm of disaster policy processes may be less likely to form, may look very different, and may have different goals than those in non‐disaster domains. Knowledge of the emergence, composition, and purpose of coalitions in disaster policy is lacking. This paper draws on prior theory and case observations to define and describe the characteristics of a disaster policy subsystem and to build a typology of coalitions that may appear within such a subsystem, providing a foundation upon which scholars can work to study coalition dynamics in disaster policy subsystems.     

层次分析法在重庆某县地质灾害危险性评价中的应用

文章针对重庆市某县地质环境条件、发育特征等特性,选取了地层岩性、斜坡结构类型、坡度、坡高、降雨量、结构面、人类工程活动等7个因素作为地质灾害危险性评价因子,通过层次分析法确定评价因子权重,并采用专家系统法赋值,建立了该县地质灾害危险性评价模型。通过划分评价单元及利用危险性评价模型,将该县地质灾害危险性分为危险性大区、危险性中等区和危险性小区。研究成果对相似地区地质灾害危险性的划分也提供了一定的借鉴意义。     

民国时期川东北灾荒严重的社会因素

民国时期川东北地区的干旱、洪水、滑坡、泥石流等灾害频发,范围广,灾情较严重,危害大。除自然因素外,各种社会因素对灾荒的严重程度也有直接影响。在军阀混战、赋税繁重、政治腐败、土匪横行的大背景下,政府防灾、救灾水平较为低下,民间赈灾杯水车薪,灾后恢复难度大。整体上防灾、救灾水平较低,人祸不亚于天灾。     

我国防灾减灾领域学科发展及其专业设置——从学位管理制度谈起

我国高校在防灾减灾类人才培养中存在一些现实困境,如:灾害学的学科地位较低、防灾减灾类学科及专业设置不灵活、学校管理制度及其相关条例的约束等。从我国学位管理制度谈起,通过比较分析国内外高校专业设置与交叉学科发展情况,探讨我国防灾减灾领域学科发展及专业设置对防灾减灾人才培养造成的影响,并提出三点建议:一是加大我国学位管理制度的改革,确保落实高校办学自主权;二是对灾害科学的研究走向系统化、社会化,发展国内高等学校防灾减灾类专业本科教育;三是防灾减灾类专业课程设置从横向和纵向上都要体现综合和交叉的学科属性。     

极端冰雪条件下的顺层岩质边坡滑移稳定性分析

推导了典型岩石边坡在极端冰雪条件下的滑移稳定系数的表达式;通过计算分析,揭示了岩石边坡滑移稳定系数随裂隙内水深、坡高、坡角、滑面倾角等因素变化的规律及与冻深的关系,并绘制岩石边坡滑移稳定系数与边坡几何要素之间的关系图.研究表明,当考虑极端冰雪灾害影响时,岩石边坡滑移稳定系数发生较为明显的变化:随裂隙饱水程度、坡面角、主...     

一种灾害等级的区间数评估模型

由于灾害损失本身的复杂性及灾情统计方面存在的问题,利用区间数替代单一实数值作为灾害等级评估指标的输入更加符合实际。基于上述思路,提出了一种基于区间数的灾害等级评估新模型。首先,给出区间数距离的新定义,该定义能够充分利用区间数所携带的信息;然后,利用线性加权评价函数计算评估对象与评价标准之间的综合相对距离测度,评估对象隶属于综合距离测度最小值所对应的灾害等级。该模型建模过程思路清晰,物理意义明确,计算过程简捷,评估结论符合实际。最后,用实例说明模型的应用方法。     

The impact of the 2004 tsunami on coastal Thai communities: assessing adaptive capacity

The suddenness and scale of the 26 December 2004 tsunami and the challenges posed to affected communities highlighted the benefits of their members having a capacity to confront and adapt to the consequences of such a disaster. Research into adaptive capacity or resilience has been conducted almost exclusively with Western populations. This paper describes an exploratory study of the potential of a measure of collective efficacy developed for Western populations to predict the capacity of members of a collective society, Thai citizens affected by the 2004 tsunami, to confront effectively the recovery demands associated with this disaster. Following a demonstration that this measure could predict adaptive capacity, the role of religious affiliation, ethnicity and place of residence in sustaining collective efficacy is discussed. The implications of the findings for future research on, and intervention to develop, adaptive capacity among Thai citizens in particular and collectivist societies in general are discussed.     

Enhancing community-based disaster preparedness with information technology

A critical component of community-based disaster preparedness (CBDP) is a local resource database of suppliers providing physical, information and human resources for use in disaster response. Maintenance of such a database can become a collaborative responsibility among community-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and public and private community organisations. In addition to mobilising resources, this process raises awareness within the community and aids in assessing local knowledge and resources. This paper presents the results of a pilot study on implementing a community-based resource database through collaboration with local American Red Cross chapters and public and private community organisations. The design of the resource database is described. The resource database is accessible via the internet and offline using laptops and handheld Personal Digital Assistants. The study concludes that CBDP is strengthened through a combination of appropriate information technology and collaborative relationships between NGOs and community-based organisations.     

Collaborative emergency management: better community organising, better public preparedness and response

Community coordination requires communication and planning of precautions to take when faced with a severe threat of disaster. The unique case of the four Florida hurricanes of 2004--Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne--is used here to assess community responses to repeated threats of hurricanes. The paper examines how effectiveness in coordinating community disaster response efforts affects future public preparedness. The findings suggest that pre-season planning, open communication between emergency managers and elected officials, and the use of technology all had a significant impact on community responses. The repeated threat scenario indicates that emergency managers must work vigilantly to keep residents informed of the seriousness of a situation. The study describes how emergency managers in Florida countered public complacency during four hurricanes in six weeks. The strategies identified as useful by public managers in the context of hurricanes are applicable to other natural and man-made disasters.