Towards a critical sociology of risk

Sociologists are growing increasingly skeptical toward research on risk conducted in other fields, and new perspectives on risk are emerging. Topics that merit further exploration include the social construction of risk and risk objects, risk analysis as a type of scientific enterprise, the organizational and institutional forces that shape positions on risk, safety and risk as dynamic properties of social systems, and the social forces that create and allocate risk. In particular, sociologists need to place more emphasis on exploring the roles played by organizations and the state in hazard production and on formulating a political economy of risk. To a significantly greater degree than other disciplines concerned with risk, sociology emphasizes the contextual factors that structure vulnerability to hazards and the linkages that exist between vulnerability and social power

Improving earthquake loss estimation : Review, assessment and extension of loss estimation methodologies

The overall goals of the research are to link engineering system vulnerability analysis with the best-available techniques of economic analysis, to produce integrated models of physical and economic loss, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of loss estimation methods through the application of advanced and emerging technologies. This program of research focuses both on general methodological refinements and model improvement and on applications that will support MCEER's power and water lifeline and hospital demonstration projects

Chapter 1 : Earthquakes in the Central and Eastern United States : Social, economic, and policy aspects

This chapter introduces the theme and objectives of the monograph and provides a contextual framework for each of the seven chapters which follow. Each individual chapter contributes to a deeper understanding of the socioeconomic impacts of earthquakes.(AU)

Emergency medical care aspects of the Loma Prieta earthquake

The response to the Loma Prieta earthquake by the emergency medical care system was very effective. The system was able to function effectively due to a fortuitous combination of three factors: (1) the fact that the area possessed an extremely high level of system capability, as indicated by the quantity and quality of medical resources; (2) the fact that essential health-care resources survived the earthquake well, while flexible and redundant system components compensated for damaged and disrupted elements; and (3) the fact that the earthquake produced a comparatively small number of casualties relative to system capability; moreover, most of the medical complaints that resulted were not severe. The Bay Area appears to have made impressive progress in improving its ability to reduce damage and to cope with the problems created by earthquakes. These improvements are reflected in the performance of the emergency health-care system. However, it would be a mistake to extrapolate from the Loma Prieta experience to larger events or to the types of earthquakes that areexpected to occur on faults such as the East Bay's Hayward Fault. Larger events occurring closer to the Bay Area's large population centers would put infinitely greater strains on the emergency medical care system, because many more building collapses would occur, significantly larger numbers of people would be killed and injured, and key components in the health-care system, such as hospitals, would be extensively damaged and disrupted. Rather than creating complacency, the Loma Prieta earthquake should serve as a waring for what the region can expect in future earthquakes

Community and organizational awareness of and preparedness for acute chemical emergencies

An open system model is used to analyze field data from a study of organizational and community preparedness for acute chemical emergencies. In particular, findings are presented on perceptions of threat, social climate and social or interorganizational linkages. It is shown that the awareness of a need for preparedness is not translated into preparedness activities and practices unless there are supportive social factors or conditions (AU)

Initial findings from a study of socio-behavioral preparations and planning for acute chemical hazard disasters

This paper generally describes research just initiated on the sociobehavioral aspects of disasters resulting from chemical agents, and reports preliminary findings from the first phase of study. These initial observations are about the community and organizational preparations and planning for acute chemical hazard disasters. The results are drawn from data gathered on disaster preparedness in 14 communities and six major threats or actual disasters involving chemical agents in American society. A model for describing and analyzing community and organizational disaster planning is outlined. Some initial observations are stated about how communities rank the probability of different kinds of disasters including chemical ones. We then present in general terms a series of findings about community and organizational perceptions and reactions with respect to chemical threats resources to deal with such threats, the social organization of emergency related groups using such resources and the social climate in which the emergency groups operate. Some implications for planning are then indicated(AU)