"Natural" Disasters
Instructions
I have uploaded 6 research papers to the Assignment 3 folder that examine the causes and impacts of natural disasters from a social perspective. You may read them all or choose just 1 to focus on, but you might find it helpful to read Comfort (1999) or Pelling (1999) for their definitions of key concepts that the later papers use.
In 1 - 2 paragraphs, write a brief summary of your chosen paper(s) and outline the key arguments.
Then write a response to the material from your own perspective. You might choose to do some brief research on a recent "natural" disaster and think about its causes and impacts through the lens of the research papers' perspectives. Some questions you might consider addressing in your response:
Do you agree or disagree with your paper's findings?
What evidence do you think the paper presents that substantiates its claims?
What evidence do you think is missing?
Have you considered "natural" disasters from a social or political perspective before?
Does this social perspective on natural hazards change the way you think about environmental risks?
Your response paper should be 500 - 1,000 words.
It is meant to be a personal, reflective response - so first-person writing is expected. Be sure to write, though, as if your paper will be read by the general public. In other words, do not use informal language, as if speaking to a friend or directly to your instructor. You can include images/charts/data you find on a chosen disaster (should you choose to use one as an example). Just be sure to provide a citation, title and caption, and reference to your source. Most of all in this paper, I want to read your own ideas and opinions, well-explained with points of evidence. Please do not directly quote the research articles, but rather convey their ideas, concepts, and information in your own words.