MSc International Disaster Management / Course details

The course critically unpacks and explores the dominant culture and approaches to disaster recovery. Disaster recovery remains the least understood element of the disaster risk management sector, as most work focuses on preparedness and response. As such, this course unit aims to provide students with a critical understanding of disaster recovery. We will think about the social, economic, political and cultural factors that shape disaster recovery among affected populations. And we will critically reflect on how and why certain programmes are adopted for disaster recovery. This will involve looking at the role and behaviours of multiple actors involved in disaster recovery: individuals, households, communities, policymakers and NGOs. 

• The dominant approaches to disaster recovery 
• How disaster risk management culture manifests in recovery policies and practises.
• The problematics of relying on ‘experts’ in disaster risk management 
• Critical understanding of disaster recovery
• How to conduct participatory approaches, and think about them critically
• The roles of different actors in recovery i.e. households, the state, communities, NGOs

10 two hour lectures

• An understanding of the dominant approaches to disaster recovery 
• A critical understanding of how disaster risk management culture manifests in recovery policies and practises
• An understanding of the different roles of development actors, and the debates about their role and impact
• An ability to conduct participatory approaches, and think about them critically
• An ability to engage in critical discussion about the roles of different actors in recovery i.e. households, national policymakers, communities, NGOs 

• An understanding of the dominant approaches to disaster recovery 
• A critical understanding of how disaster risk management culture manifests in recovery policies and practises
• An understanding of the different roles of development actors, and the debates about their role and impact
• An ability to conduct participatory approaches, and think about them critically
• An ability to engage in critical discussion about the roles of different actors in recovery i.e. households, national policymakers, communities, NGOs 
• An ability to engage in critical discussion and debate in a group, and to formulate ideas based upon key readings.

• Demonstrate analytical and debating skills with peers and tutors 
• Show effective use of library resources drawing on relevant academic and grey literature 
• Develop essay writing skills
• Independent and group research

• Develop communication skills for a variety of audiences
• Work effectively in a team
• Develop, plan and achieve individual learning outcomes
• Develop analytical skills and the ability to articulate ideas verbally and in writing
• Develop confidence articulating ideas and opinions during group discussions

Clissold, R., Westoby, R., & McNamara, K. E. (2020). Women as recovery enablers in the face of disasters in Vanuatu. Geoforum, 113, 101-110.

Fan, L. (2013). Disaster as opportunity? Building back better in Aceh, Myanmar and Haiti. Humanitarian Policy Group.

Hore, K., Gaillard, J. C., Davies, T., & Kearns, R. (2020). People’s Participation in Disaster-Risk Reduction: Recentering Power. Natural Hazards Review, 21(2).

Monson, R. (2022). Property, climate change, and community relocation in the Pacific. In N. Graham, M. Davies, & L. Godden (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Property, Law and Society (1st ed., pp. 86–98). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003139614-8  

Rouhanizadeh, B., Kermanshachi, S., & Nipa, T. J. (2020). Exploratory analysis of barriers to effective post-disaster recovery. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 50, 101735.

Sealey-Huggins L (2017) ‘1.5°C to stay alive’: climate change, imperialism and justice for the Caribbean. Third World Quarterly 38(11). DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2017.1368013.