Social Networks and Reduction of Risk in Disasters: An Example of the Wenchuan Earthquake
Social capital and social networks are considered as the most dependable resources in the aftermath of natural disasters. Based on the data from a rapid needs assessment survey after the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, China, this chapter describes the role
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Social Networks and Reduction of Risk in Disasters: An Example of the Wenchuan Earthquake Zhao Yandong
Disaster, Risk, and Social Networks Social Aspects of Disaster and Risk Disaster is a natural hazard with complex social impacts. When disaster strikes, normal social order is interrupted. This might lead to serious aftermath such as social disorder and social conflicts. Kreps (1984: 312) defined disaster as “events, observable in time and space, in which societies or their larger subunits (e.g. communities, regions) incur physical damages and losses and/or disruption of their routine functioning” and argued that both the cause and consequences of the disaster are related to social structure. Thus, the social science of disasters is of great value for the better understanding of disaster and for devising better management policies. Sociologists are extremely interested in disasters not only because they hope to answer practical questions like “how to mitigate the social impact of disasters” but also because disasters provide a “natural laboratory” for understanding social structure and social process. In recent years, sociologists have started to focus on the importance of “social networks” and “social capital” in disaster studies.
Social Networks “Social networks” form the basis for a set of theories and methods to study social structure. The basic idea is to view actors (that could be persons or organizations) as “nodes” and the relationship between actors as “ties.” These nodes and ties add Zhao Y. () Institute of Science, Technology and Society, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] W.J.J. Yeung and M.T. Yap (eds.), Economic Stress, Human Capital, 171 and Families in Asia: Research and Policy Challenges, Quality of Life in Asia 4, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7386-8__10, © Springer ScienceCBusiness Media Dordrecht 2013
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up to construct a network-like structure. In social network analysis, the structure of the society is exactly this network-like structure (Scott 1991; Wasserman and Faust 1994). While the methods of network analysis are becoming more advanced and more complex, the theoretical development of social network was not advancing very quickly until the emergence of the concept of “social capital.” The concept of social capital has transcended the traditional definition of “visible” capital. It implies that social relationships and interaction among social members and the social norms and structure based on these network relationships are all important types of “capital,” which is beneficial both for individuals and for the society. Originating in sociological studies, this concept has rapidly gained popularity in economics, political studies, management, and social science generally in recent years (Portes 1998; Putnam et al. 1993). Early disaster researchers had already noticed the role of social networks and social capital in disasters. Drabek et al. (1981) argues that social networks and social associations are the basic s
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