A leading challenge in measuring social vulnerability to hazards is for output metrics to better reflect the context in which vulnerability occurs. Through a meta-analysis of 67 flood disaster case studies (1997–2013), this paper profiles the leading drivers of social vulnerability to floods. The results identify demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and health as the leading empirical drivers of social vulnerability to damaging flood events. However, risk perception and coping capacity also featured prominently in the case studies, yet these factors tend to be poorly reflected in many social vulnerability indicators. The influence of social vulnerability drivers varied considerably by disaster stage and national setting, highlighting the importance of context in understanding social vulnerability precursors, processes, and outcomes. To help tailor quantitative indicators of social vulnerability to flood contexts, the article concludes with recommendations concerning temporal context, measurability, and indicator interrelationships.

Social vulnerability to floods: Review of case studies and implications for measurement

. Social vulnerability indices are a means for generating information about people potentially affected by disasters that are e.g. triggered by river-floods. The purpose behind such an index is in this study the development and the validation of a social vulnerability map of population characteristics towards river-floods covering all counties in Germany. This map is based on a composite index of three main indicators for social vulnerability in Germany – fragility, socio-economic conditions and region. These indicators have been identified by a factor analysis of selected demographic variables obtained from federal statistical offices. Therefore, these indicators can be updated annually based on a reliable data source. The vulnerability patterns detected by the factor analysis are verified by using an independent second data set. The interpretation of the second data set shows that vulnerability is revealed by a real extreme flood event and demonstrates that the patterns of the presumed vulnerability match the observations of a real event. It comprises a survey of flood-affected households in three federal states. By using logistic regression, it is demonstrated that the theoretically presumed indications of vulnerability are correct and that the indicators are valid. It is shown that indeed certain social groups like the elderly, the financially weak or the urban residents are higher risk groups.

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Validation of a social vulnerability index in context to river-floods in Germany.

Combining hazard, exposure and social vulnerability to provide lessons for flood risk management

Communities in Disaster: A Sociological Analysis of Collective Stress Situations@@@Disaster in Aisle 13: A Case Study of the Coliseum Explosion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, October 31, 1963

Hydrogeomorphic response to extreme rainfall in headwater systems: Flash floods and debris flows

Social vulnerability is a term that has been widely used in the natural hazards literature for quite a few years now. Yet, regardless of how scholars define the term, the approaches and indicators they use remain contested. This article presents findings from social vulnerability assessments conducted in different case studies of flood events in Europe (Germany, Italy and the UK). The case studies relied upon a common set of comparable indicators, but they also adopted a context-sensitive, qualitative approach. A shared finding across the case studies was that it was not possible to identify a common set of socio-economic–demographic indicators to explain social vulnerability of groups and/or individuals for all phases of the disastrous events. Similarly, network-related indicators as well as location- and event-specific indicators did not have the relevance we expected them to have. The results underline that vulnerability is a product of specific spatial, socio-economic–demographic, cultural and institutional contexts imposing not only specific challenges to cross-country research concerning social vulnerability to flooding but also to attempts at assessing social vulnerability in general. The study ends with some reflections upon the methodological, practical and theoretical implications of our findings.

Contextualizing social vulnerability: findings from case studies across Europe

Perspectives on social capacity building for natural hazards: outlining an emerging field of research and practice in Europe

The report discusses the findings of a questionnaire survey carried out in five localities of the Mulde catchment (Germany) in 2005 (N=404). All these settlements were heavily affected by the 2002 August flood. Both an event- and a phase-sensitive approach are applied from a bottom-up perspective of the people affected. This specific comprehension allows for a more appropriate understanding of social vulnerability in the context of a European welfare state where risk and affectedness become increasingly individualised. Finally, conclusions with respect to the paradigm of Flood Risk Management are drawn.

Annett Steinführer

Papers

Contextualizing social vulnerability: findings from case studies across Europe

Perspectives on social capacity building for natural hazards: outlining an emerging field of research and practice in Europe

Social vulnerability and the 2002 flood. Country report Germany (Mulde river)

Local communities at risk from flooding : social vulnerability, resilience and recommendations for flood risk management in Europe

Social vulnerability and the 2002 flood