[Radix] Disaster Preparedness in Minority Communities?

[Brian G. McAdoo]

Colleagues,

I am curious if anyone has information regarding 
disaster preparedness in marginalized communities?

In the USA, these communities more often then not 
are minority communities, as dramatically 
illustrated by Hurricane Katrina.  There is a 
great deal of concern here in the San Francisco 
(California) Bay Area about an inevitable 
earthquake on the Heyward fault, which runs 
directly underneath the heavily populated 
communities of Berkeley and Oakland.  While there 
is a lot of work being done to raise awareness of 
this hazard, I am not aware of any efforts 
deliberately targeting minority communities, and 
I worry that because of their marginalization, they will be overlooked.

Is there an academic literature out there looking 
into racial/ethnic demographics and disaster 
preparedness?  I imagine that there might be some 
related to indigenous knowledge, but again I expose my ignorance here.

Thank you for your help.

Brian

Brian G. McAdoo
Blaustein Visiting Professor
Stanford University
473 Via Ortega, Rm 139
Stanford, CA  94305-4215
650.721.2398 (office)
845.249.9561 (mobile)

Associate Professor of Earth Science
Department of Earth Science and Geography
Box 735
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY  12604

On leave at Stanford University
July 2008-July 2009

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