Disasters, Social Movements, Policy Responses and Sociocultural Evolution

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Contemporary Politics and Society".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 4241

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute for Research on World-Systems, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
Interests: disasters; hazards; preparedness; mitigation; collapses; selection; sociocultural evolution; social movements; collective behavior; world-systems; policy responses; state formation; global governance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Large natural and anthropogenic hazards and disasters have operated as selection sweeps in the evolution of within-polity and interpolity sociocultural systems by destroying lives and the human-built environment and by provoking social movements and policy responses that were intended to identify causes and protect against future disasters.  Individuals, households, communities, settlements, polities and interpolity systems that are the most prepared and resilient to these selection mechanisms survive and prevail. Disasters spur social movements and collective behavior and policy responses from polities that identify causes, motivate rebuilding, and seek to defend against hazards and mitigate the negative consequences of future disasters. These social movements and policy responses have been, and are now, important drivers of complexity and hierarchy. Contemporary global climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of disasters and is spurring social movements and policy initiatives in response. Social scientists have long studied the causes and consequences of single and compound disasters at different levels of analysis. This Special Issue will contain studies of past and recent single disasters and comparative studies that employ global disaster data to examine causes, consequences and the social movements and policy responses that have been and are being spurred by disasters.

Prof. Dr. Christopher K. Chase-Dunn
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
Climate in 14th-Century England: Catastrophic Change, Social Strategies and the Origins of Capitalism
by Daniel Ribera Vainfas
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(9), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13090477 - 9 Sep 2024
Viewed by 672
Abstract
This work aims to explore climate change as a decisive element for the transition from feudalism toward capitalism and considers the Marxist transition debate as a framework. In order to avoid the deterministic trap, climate must be considered as a condition framing the [...] Read more.
This work aims to explore climate change as a decisive element for the transition from feudalism toward capitalism and considers the Marxist transition debate as a framework. In order to avoid the deterministic trap, climate must be considered as a condition framing the historical possibilities in a dialectical relationship with human historical agents. Thus, this paper explores the interactions between medieval English society, focusing on land use and class relation, and the conditions imposed by nature, particularly the change in rainfall and the transformation of ecological conditions around the North Sea Basin, especially on England’s east coast. Through the course of this research, we found out that the climate change that happened in the 14th century is one important condition for the rise of capitalism, as it creates certain pressures on both peasant and manorial economies that exacerbate their contradictions and sets a course for profound societal change. Full article

Review

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17 pages, 281 KiB  
Review
Navigating Energy and Climate Transitions: Striking a Delicate Balance
by David John LePoire
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(9), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13090449 - 28 Aug 2024
Viewed by 782
Abstract
The transitions in energy and the environment are driving large-scale social and technological challenges and responses. These challenges include aspects of changing demographics, development, and consideration of the future (e.g., intergenerational issues). Among the approaches to address these challenges is improving energy transition [...] Read more.
The transitions in energy and the environment are driving large-scale social and technological challenges and responses. These challenges include aspects of changing demographics, development, and consideration of the future (e.g., intergenerational issues). Among the approaches to address these challenges is improving energy transition technologies. These concerns have been incorporated into various models, which cover a wide variety of scenarios. Furthermore, options analysis can be used to follow the development of technologies with international implications. Among the topics discussed in this paper are the emerging representations, energy technologies, and socio-technological modeling, which should be addressed in an integrated, balanced way to mitigate the potential for disruptions and/or systems collapses. Full article

Other

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19 pages, 1139 KiB  
Case Report
Chilean Disaster Response and Alternative Measures for Improvement
by Luciana das Dores de Jesus Da Silva, Susanne Kubisch, Mauricio Aguayo, Francisco Castro, Octavio Rojas, Octavio Lagos and Ricardo Figueroa
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020088 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2048
Abstract
Effective DRM aims to identify and minimize both hazards and vulnerabilities of a territory. This case study carried out in Chile analyzes national programs and disaster risk management structures at different administrative levels (national, regional, and municipal) and identifies gaps that contribute to [...] Read more.
Effective DRM aims to identify and minimize both hazards and vulnerabilities of a territory. This case study carried out in Chile analyzes national programs and disaster risk management structures at different administrative levels (national, regional, and municipal) and identifies gaps that contribute to the vulnerability of the current system. The proposed measures and options for improvement presented in this study are based on a literature review of scientific discussions about international governance, disaster risk management, and case studies conducted in Chile. The results indicate that the national disaster risk management plan has been adjusted in recent years, especially after the 2010 Chilean earthquake. The national administration, which is primarily responsible for managing potential risks, as well as the regional and local governments, has been replaced by the National Disaster Prevention and Response System (SINAPRED) in 2021, according to the 21364 law. This law was created to make cities more resilient, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This change is intended to decentralize disaster risk management, considering local conditions and preventing oversight of disaster risk management, which is not mandatory at the local level. It has also noted some gaps, such as the lack of standardization of emergency and early warning systems and funding at local levels. It is hoped that the system will move forward in this transition period and that the gaps will not affect effective risk management, as they have caused loss of life in past disasters. Full article
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