Key emergency management theories

Evolution of sociopolitical ecology theory

evolved out of understanding that disasters are not leveling events, and that different people will experience them differently based on their societies history and social construction for resource distribution

Systems theory citations

(Miletti, 1999) (Tierney, 2007) (Norris, et al, 2008)

Sociopolitical ecology theory citations

(Peacock and Ragsdale, 1997) (Morrow, 1999) (Zakour and Harrell, 2004) (Fothergill and Peek, 2004) (Enarson, et al, 2007)

Vulnerability theory citations

(Peek and Stough, 2010) (Phillips, et al, 2012) (Phillips, 2015)

Loosely coupled systems theory citations

(Perrow, 1984) (Drabek, 1990) (Rijpma, 1997) (Sagan, 2004) (Kapucu, 2009) (Kapucu, et al, 2009)

Emergent norm theory citations

(Turner, 1964) (Quarantelli and Dynes, 1970) (Gillespie and Perry, 1976) (Fischer, 1998) (Aguirre, et al, 1998) (Dynes, 2006)

Social vulnerability and vulnerability theory

Due to the context and socially constructed realities, those falling into some demographics are more at risk to disasters - they live in less adequate housing, live in more hazardous areas, and will feel the impacts of disasters more severely

Main ideas in vulnerability theory

-Different people experience the same disaster differently due to the social constructions and context of their society -The main issue at the heart of disasters is not the hazard itself, but instead the social construction of society (how societies are impacted by the disaster agent and how they respond) -Concerned with socially marginalized populations -Disasters are complex, social events whose impacts will be determined by human actions

Main ideas and foundations of loosely coupled systems theory

-Social scientists applying engineering concepts to a social context -Examines organizational network response to disasters -Tightly-coupled systems: actors and organizations within the system are dependent on one another; hierarchical and rigid; easily destabilized by impacts -Loosely-coupled systems: decentralized; flexible; allow for adaptation during disasters; respond to external stimuli to the system while maintaining general stability

History of emergent norm theory

-Stems from sociology -developed by Turner in 1964 -One of the first theories used to study disasters and human behavior during them -NORC studies at U of Chicago (National opinion research center) -looking to understand what high stress situations do to collective behavior

Emergent norm theory studied in the context of social disturbances (Quarantelli and Dynes, 1970)

-Studied in 1960's -Looting behavior in social unrest context is much more complex than previously thought -New property norms emerge at the group level - those vandalizing aren't, from the perspective of the group, acting anti-social or defiant

sociopolitical ecology theory and social vulnerability

-a central concept in the theory -poverty has been studied at great depth with sociopolitical ecology theory (Poor living in less stable housing, in greater need for outside resources but also less able to compete for those resources) -applied in engendered societies: women and mothers at greater risk -importance of compounding vulnerabilities

Benefits of loosely coupled systems during disaster response (Drabek, 1990)

-adaptation of the network organization to complex, stressful events -allows for both vertical and horizontal administration within the network -flexibility -Note that the emphasis on loosely coupled networks coincides with the evolution of emergency management systems from being hierarchical to less centralized and rigid

History and sociopolitical ecology theory

-an indicator of one's ability to compete for resources -past patterns of segregation and migration put some in greater areas of risk than others -geographical concerns: vulnerable populations may be physically removed from resource and service providers (ex: hospitals and first responder agencies)

Main ideas of sociopolitical ecology theory

-concerned with the competition for disaster-related resources -not disaster phase specific -historical patterns matter - impacting social vulnerability -competition produces winners and losers -social capital matters (those with the most social capital will have the greatest abilities to compete for and obtain resources)

Claims of emergency norm theory

-new norms of collective behavior emerge in disaster situations - including societal expectations of this behavior -Natural disasters are high stress, high complexity situations with no previously established "norm" of behavior or rules -Looking at behaviors at the society/collective level

Main points and development of systems theory

-rooted in sociology -most utilized theory in disaster research -examines the complex interconnectedness of three systems: human environment (social), natural, and built -When systems all maintained, status-quo remains; when one or more is out of balance, disasters more likely to manifest

Main criticism of systems theory (Tierney, 2007)

It is too simplistic; there may be other factors at work in disaster manifestation not accounted for in the theory. It is the result of intellectual in-breeding in the small, tightly knit disaster research community - need further theoretical development in the field.

The emergency consensus (emergent norm theory) (Dynes, 2006)

Providing new, distinct ordering or priorities at the collective level - this is in comparison to the "random", competitive nature of everyday life Creates a new citizen obligation

Increasing important of interconnectedness (systems theory) (Norris, et al, 2008)

The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and complex, with the 3 systems constantly changing and adapting to the changes occurring in the others. This will continue to escalate as the world becomes smaller and more complex.

Consensus crisis relating to systems theory (Tierney, 2007)

When all of a collective group have the consensus that a disaster is in fact happening, this collective understanding changes the social dynamics - stopping conflict for a time, enhancing collaboration and coordination, etc.

Emergent norm theory and anti-social behavior (Fischer, 1998)

Widely held beliefs regarding anti-social behavior during disasters are mostly unfounded (altruism is the most prevalent) Crime rates drop, role abandonment among first responders not an issue, social chaos does not occur