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Community-Based Disaster Risk Management

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Handbook of Disaster Research

Part of the book series: Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research ((HSSR))

Abstract

Disaster risk management is most effective when aimed at community level implementation. There is a growing realization from researchers and practitioners alike, that a greater understanding of the dynamics of vulnerabilities, hazardous exposure and resilience can only be gained if the knowledge creation process is seated within, and by those effected. Local knowledge and culture needs to be respected, and indigenous and scientific knowledge need not be mutually exclusive. However, limited resources, capacities and technical abilities hamper random and spontaneous community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM). Therefore, outside intervention is still needed in most cases. This chapter alludes to the various keys aspects and elements of CBDRM. CBDRM as both a participatory research and practical implementation tool will be discussed. Examples from all continents are used and certain constraints, commonalities and differences are highlighted to assist in understanding CBDRM.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Tonnies identifies two forms of social organization: Geminschaft (the communal cohesion of pre-industrial village life) and Gesellschaft (instrumental relationships formed to pursue individual goals). In the Geminschaft approach, community is established based on kinship or a place, and provided emotional support. Gesellschaft describes relational communities that have been developed based on some common interests, issues, or member characteristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Dewald Van Niekerk, Livhuwani David Nemakonde, Leandri Kruger & Kylah Forbes-Genade

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  1. Dewald Van Niekerk
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  2. Livhuwani David Nemakonde
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  3. Leandri Kruger
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  4. Kylah Forbes-Genade
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Correspondence to Dewald Van Niekerk .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York, USA

    Havidán Rodríguez

  2. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA

    William Donner

  3. Core Faculty, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA

    Joseph E. Trainor

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Van Niekerk, D., Nemakonde, L.D., Kruger, L., Forbes-Genade, K. (2018). Community-Based Disaster Risk Management. In: Rodríguez, H., Donner, W., Trainor, J. (eds) Handbook of Disaster Research. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63254-4_20

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