Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy 

About: Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy is an academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Emergency management & Preparedness. It has an ISSN identifier of 1944-4079. Over the lifetime, 287 publications have been published receiving 3166 citations. The journal is also known as: Risk, hazards and crisis in public policy & Crisis & risk in public policy.

The Logic of Policy Change after Crisis : Proximity and Subsystem Interaction

Abstract: What mechanisms link external events to policy change in a policy subsystem? This paper responds to this question by offering a nuanced re-conceptualization of external events and by identifying the mechanisms that link disruptive crises to policy change Building from the tenets of the advocacy coalition framework and a synthesis of the crisis management and policy change literatures, this paper (1) introduces the concept of policy and geographical proximity as a means to show how different types of crises alter the incentives for policy action within policy subsystems; (2) discusses an integrated set of proposals on how geographical and policy proximity affects the prospects of change in a policy subsystem; and (3) presents hypothesized scenarios outlining plausible intervening pathways linking a crisis to changes as contingent on policy subsystem structures

Hiding in Plain Sight: Conceptualizing the Creeping Crisis.

Abstract: The COVID-19 crisis is a stark reminder that modern society is vulnerable to a special species of trouble: the creeping crisis. The creeping crisis poses a deep challenge to both academics and practitioners. In the crisis literature, it remains ill-defined and understudied. It is even harder to manage. As a threat, it carries a potential for societal disruption-but that potential is not fully understood. An accumulation of these creeping crises can erode public trust in institutions. This paper proposes a definition of a creeping crisis, formulates research questions, and identifies the most relevant theoretical approaches. It provides the building blocks for the systematic study of creeping crises.

Disaster Preparedness and Resilience for Rural Communities

Abstract: It is critical to assess how the needs and vulnerabilities in rural communities impact the creation of resilience, especially in states that have a large expanse of rural regions. Rural areas present different opportunities and challenges from their urban counterparts for disaster managers. The position rural communities find themselves in after a disaster is different than that of urban communities. Using the Central Florida region as an example, this study examines the characteristics of disaster management in rural communities and ways to strengthen emergency management systems to develop and improve disaster resilience in these communities. Surveys and focus groups were conducted to examine the common traits and problems in existing emergency management systems across the rural regions. Results suggest that collaboration is needed in tackling evolving social, economic, and technological environments, which tend to create new vulnerabilities in rural communities. The adaptive capacity of rural communities is expected to sustain recovery at the individual, organizational, and the community levels. Sustainability is an important element for emergency management in rural communities because the policies and programs that influence the location and character of development can ultimately reduce losses and create resilience to future disasters.

Social Capital, Community Resilience, and Faith-Based Organizations in Disaster Recovery: A Case Study of Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church

Abstract: Because governmental structures put in place to mitigate disaster risks and aid communities in the disaster recovery process have, at times, proven to be inadequate, reliance on other types of organizations is necessary for some communities to survive. Although there are a number of different actors that played a role in the reestablishment of communities within New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina took place, the Mary Queen of Vietnam (MQVN) Catholic Church is a prime example of how a community-based organization stepped in to address the needs of its community. This article examines how MQVN garnered social capital within its surrounding community to pursue successful community development in the absence of and opposition to governmental support and political resistance. This article will first review the government failure and decrease in civic trust that fostered a robust third-sector response in disaster recovery and redevelopment. Then, using social capital theory, the article supports the notion that civic distrust and confidence is derived from government and institutional performance, rather than increasing individualism or declining social trust. Finally, implications for federal disaster policy and third-sector disaster interventions are proposed. In August of 2005, Hurricane Katina struck the Gulf Coast, flooding 80 percent of the City of New Orleans (Associated Press, 2005). Until Superstorm Sandy, this disaster was seen as the most destructive natural disaster to impact the United States in recorded history. The disaster illustrated the social vulnerability of urban populations living in hazard prone regions, serving as a vivid reminder to developed nations that regardless of a nation’s level of development, their communities are still vulnerable to severe natural phenomena. Moreover, the disaster illustrated that a community’s vulnerability to disasters was not only a product of the built environment’s varying resistance to disasters and a community’s physical proximity to hazards, but also a byproduct of social dynamics that contribute to the vulnerability of populations (Cutter et al., 2008; Miller & Rivera, 2008). The subsequent effects of these social dynamics, when placed under the pressure of a severe natural disaster, illustrates to both the directly affected communities and the rest of the nation, that organizational,

How Does Disaster Relief Works Affect the Trust in Local Government? A Study of the Wenchuan Earthquake

Abstract: Political trust can lead to cooperation and is very important in emergency and disaster management. However, the impact of disaster events on political trust is complicated. On May 12, 2008, a disruptive earthquake hit Southwest China, killing thousands of people and causing billions in economic losses. The Chinese national government's swift response was praised by the public, but the local government trust was not well documented. Through fieldwork in one of the most damaged counties, how disaster relief work affected the trust in local government was analyzed. Political trust varies in different levels of government in China. People trust the central government more than the local government. After the earthquake, there was a polarization trend in the local political trust. The few cases of role abandonment had a very bad effect on local political trust. The pre-disaster distrust, the impolite manners of local officials, and the gap between public expectations and the local government capacity in disaster relief impaired trust in local government. An easily operated and widely covered disaster assistance model is good to improve political trust after extreme tragedies. How to implement policies effectively and equally at the local level and the intergovernmental interchanges are the challenges for all levels of government, and will impact the public's trust in government.