Disaster By Choice - How Our Actions Turn Natural Hazards Into Catastrophes

We speak of earthquakes, floods, and wildfires as 'natural disasters'. In this provocative book, Ilan Kelman argues that the true disaster is not caused by natural phenomena, but by human choices which leave people unprepared and at terrible risk. He explores how we can and should act to stop people dying when nature unleashes its powers.

List of contents

• Prelude: Disasters are not natural


• 1: An island shattered


• 2: Nature's hazards


• 3: The story of vulnerability


• 4: Vulnerability by choice


• 5: Making the choice


• 6: Making the change


• Endnotes


• Further reading

About the author

Ilan Kelman is Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London, England and a Professor II at the University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway. His overall research interest is linking disasters and health, including the integration of climate change into disaster research and health research.

Summary

We speak of earthquakes, floods, and wildfires as 'natural disasters'. In this provocative book, Ilan Kelman argues that the true disaster is not caused by natural phenomena, but by human choices which leave people unprepared and at terrible risk. He explores how we can and should act to stop people dying when nature unleashes its powers.

Additional text

This perfectly crafted and well written book ... is long overdue, much needed and greatly welcomed.

Product details

• Authors: Kelman , Ilan Kelman, Ilan (Professor of Disasters and Health Kelman, Kelman Ilan
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.02.2022
• EAN: 9780198841357
• ISBN: 978-0-19-884135-7
• No. of pages: 192
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > General, dictionaries; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Non-fiction book > Nature, technology > Nature and society: general, reference works; SCIENCE / Global Warming & Climate Change, popular science, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Environmental Policy, SCIENCE / Earth Sciences / General, environmental science, engineering & technology, Science / Environmental Science, Earth Sciences, Natural disasters, Human Geography, Environmental science, engineering and technology, Development and environmental geography