Progress and Challenges in Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Governance in the United States

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26770280
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Human geography
• Research Institution: Miyagi University of Education
• Principal Investigator: Oda Takashi 宮城教育大学, 大学院教育学研究科高度教職実践専攻, 准教授 (60628551)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 災害 / 自主防災 / 合意形成 / レジリエンス / 脆弱性 / インクルーシブ / 災害弱者 / アメリカ合衆国

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the progress and challenges in the governance for inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the United States. Field surveys were conducted in two disaster-hit/prone cities: (1) New Orleans, Louisiana where the Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005; and (2) San Francisco, California that has been severely affected by severe earthquakes in 1906 and 1989. The spatial analyses demonstrated that post-Katrina New Orleans faced gentrification of the affected neighborhoods, evicting low income populations. San Francisco also experienced rapid gentrification due to the massive influx of young and affluent high-tech workers into the city, skyrocketing the housing value. This led to the decreasing diversity of the residents including those first responders. The research discussed the local efforts in countering the growing disaster risks through community-based preparedness training and presented policy implications for inclusive DRR governance.

Free Research Field

地理学、自然災害科学、防災