"""WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN€: ANALYZING COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO REPEATED DISASTER VULNERABILITY AND THEIR IMPACT ON RECOVERY"

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

William Alexander (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Storm-related flooding is one of the greatest disaster risks facing communities in eastern North Carolina. After flood events , communities of limited means may be incapable of pushing for reconstruction agendas that increase their disaster resilience. Recovery efforts driven by the agendas of outside agencies can perpetuate the pre-disaster status quo and result in a state of continued disaster vulnerability , highlighting the need for recoveries focused on the needs and viewpoints of the afflicted communities. Recently , the town of Windsor , NC has dealt with four floods reaching the 500-year flood stage. Data from participant observation and in-depth interviews with 16 stakeholders in Windsor are used to explore issues inhibiting long-term recovery. Specifically , I argue that part of the failure is due to a political power structure that favors assistance to regions with greater economic growth at the expense of economically vulnerable populations. Second , I show how repeated disaster trauma and disruptions to the recovery cycle have led many residents to distrust external agencies , misidentify the factors and risks for repeated flooding , and doubt the ability of the community to recover. I hypothesize that this attitudinal cluster is another key factor that mitigates against long-term recovery by inhibiting community building mechanisms. The goal of the research is to propose a more inclusive and holistic recovery model that addresses community viewpoints , actively seeks to create mutually beneficial relationships between residents and external agencies during recovery efforts , and views disaster recovery as a single step in a system that promotes community health and reduces vulnerability.

Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

Language: English

Date: 2018

Keywords

Disaster Vulnerability, Hurricanes, Contextualization, Community Healing, Adaptation, Disaster Cycles

Subjects

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