“ Facing the unexpected from natural hazards to social disasters . The importance of social capital to reduce vuln

1. CONFERÊNCIA“RUMOS da SOCIOLOGIA DO CONHECIMENTO,CIÊNCIA E TECNOLOGIA em Portugal” 18-19 de Novembro, 2011ISEGSecção Temática de Conhecimento, Ciência e TecnologiaAPS “Facingtheunexpected from natural hazards to social disasters. Theimportanceof social capital to reducevulnerabilitiesandpromoteresilience. A styleofthought” Carmen Diego Gonçalves Investigadora de pós-doutoramento /FCT-CES / cdiego@ces.uc.pt

2. What is a natural disaster? What does that mean? Is social capital a better predictor for resilience on the problematic of disasters and their traumatic consequences than the type of hazardous event? A few days after the November 1st, 1755, Lisboa earthquake (M 9)

3. The degree of vulnerability is determined by a combination of factors,which include: Natural Disaster? “Natural hazardsontheirown do notresultindisaster”, (DRR-UNDP) Disaster is the consequenceof the impact of a natural event (hazard)in the social system that has alreadya givendegree of vulnerability Disasters can beCatastrophic Fonte: “Facing Hazards and Disasters. Understanding Human Dimensions”, Committee on Disaster Research in the Social Sciences: Future Challenges and Opportunities, National Research Council, 2006.

4. VULNERABILITY? Interpreting the multidimensional concept of vulnerability,  Andrew Maskrey (1984) stats that the vulnerability of a community is expressed through many factors: lack of awareness or knowledge of the behavior of threats (cultural vulnerability); legal framework, regulatory and institutional counterproductive (institutional vulnerability); disarticulation of social organization (social vulnerability). based on Bogardi/Birkmann (2004) and Cardona (1999/2001)

5. Social Vulnerability

6. Cutter et al., 2003, using the model of disaster places, suggeststhat social vulnerability  is a multidimensional concept that helps to identify those characteristics and experiences of communities (and individuals) that allow them to respond and recover from natural disasters  andin this senseit is not disconnected from the concept of resilience.

7. Risco

8. DISASTER DISASTERS  provide evidence  about the vulnerability of communities,  cities and countries  to danger  and of the severity of the impact on its economic performance  and social welfare. Wisner and colleagues (2004) argue that a disaster is a product of social , political and economic frameworks, (facing the natural event -hazard) that are distinct from the natural environment and should not be confused.

9. Decisions under Uncertainty(in Gonçalves & Possolo, 2010)

10. The risk assessment  • requires a multidisciplinary  evaluation • that takes into account • not only physical damage expectations, the number and type of casualties or economic losses (direct impact),  • but also the conditions related to social fragility and lack of resilience conditions, • which favor the second order effects (indirect impact) when a dangerous event is triggered. •  (Carreño et al, 2005).

11. Disasters constitute stressful and traumatic experiences If Physical impacts include destruction of, or damage to structures and to personal property, and injuries and deaths. Psychological and social impacts include fear, sadness, claustrophobia and despair following entrapment, post-traumatic stress, and disruption of social networks. Peopleexposedto a traumatic event have a high risk of developing post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), and /or associated co- morbidity in particular when social support is low [McNally et al., 2003],[Norris et al., 2002].

12. Trauma and traumatic experiences In 1994, APA defined trauma as a personal experience of an event that involves death or the threat of death, and actual or potential serious injury, either to self or to another person — events that induce intense fear and horror. Traumatic events that lead to PTSD are typically so extraordinary or severe that they would distress almost everyone. These events usually occur suddenly. They are perceived as dangerous to self or others, and they overwhelm our ability to respondadequately. Several studies show that following exposure to traumatic events (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, wars, rape and other physical aggression, airplane and train accidents, and terrorism, among other stressors), non-negligible proportions of people develop PTSD or lesser forms of this condition [Norris, 1992, Jaycox and Foa, 1998, Albuquerque et al., 2003, Yang et al., 2003, Pires, 2005, Priebe et al., 2009].

13. Negative correlationthehigherthe social capital social - networks, thelowervulnerability-predisposition to trauma Studies sought to investigate whether social capital is a better predictor for trauma: a negative correlation, the higher the social capital, the lower trauma . Theinverseassociationbetweensymptomsofpostraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social suportisoneofthemostconsistentrelationshipsobservedin trauma research (Brewin, Andrews, & Valentine, 2000; Ozer, Best, Lipsey & Weiss, 2003). Some evidenceindicatesthat PTSD mayresultintheerosionof social suport (e.g. Keane, Scott, Chavoya, Lamparski & Fairbank, 1985; King, Taft, King, Hammond& Stone, 2006; Laffaye, Cavella, Drescher & Rosen, 2008). Thelarger social supportliteraturesuggeststhatperceptionsofsupport networks may play a crucial role indeterminingthedegree to whichindividuals are willing to seekoutand utilize social resources (Toldsdorf, 1976).

14. Stress-bufferinganderosionmodels Recent meta-analysis (Ozer et al., 2003) indicates a robust association between PTSD and social support. This association historically has been interpreted within the framework of Cohen and Wills’ (1985) stress-buffering model. More recently, trauma researchers have begun to explore an alternative model wherein symptoms of PTSD contribute to the erosion of social support over time (King et al., 2006; Laffaye et al., 2008). The erosion model suggests that symptoms associated with PTSD negatively impact the quality and quantity of received support. Longitudinal data consistentely demonstrate an association between social support assessed at some point after trauma exposure and the severity of subsequent PTSD symptoms (e.g. Koenen, Stellman & Sommer, 2003; Kramer & Green, 1991; Perry, Difede, Musngi, Frances & Jacobsberg, 1992). What factors serve as intervening variables in the relationship between PTSD and social support? Isolation of relevant factors would bolster the nomological net of relationships between PTSD and social support which may, in turn, inform models regarding the causal nature of their association. Clarification of the process through which PTSD and social support are related may isolate specific cognitions, behaviors, or environmental factors for use as targets in social intervention. This search for intervening factors in this relationship is a promising avenue of research.

15. Inequality & DISASTER The issues of structuring inequality and social stratification were long ignored in the first sociological studies conducted on the issue of disaster. It was the empirical data (unanticipated deductively) that began to bring evidence on inequality in the behavior of populations during the peri-event and post-event recovery Bates and colleagues (1963) had already discovered that the individuals belonging to the working classes in the case of Hurricane Audrey suffered losses disproportionately highly in relation to the upper middle class or upper class.

16. StratifiedVulnerability& DISASTER Several studies supported the assumption of vulnerability stratified based on:racial stratification, ethnic, political power, gender demonstrating that disasters exacerbated pre-existing inequalities. (Peacockand Bates, 1982; Oliver-Smith 1986, amongother). Klinenberg (2002), used a social autopsy approach in order toillustratehow a disproportionate number of victims of heat waves were mainly belonging to the group of elders and african-class Americans. In essence, demonstrated how the social structure of a social context (for Chicago) creates a distribution of victims also stratified by race, class, gender and age.

17. Inequality & DISASTER where:(a) previous inequalities(b) the variation in inequality is exacerbated by differential access to resources (vertical and horizontal distance)(c) disruption brought by the disaster(d) early recovery(e) distance from the line (a) the line (e) Source: Barnshaw & Trainor, 2007, Race, Class, and Capital AmidsttheHurricaneKatrinaDiaspora. UniversityofDelaware, DisastreResearchCenter.

18. DISASTERS- DEFINITION (AND RESEARCH BASE)In order to focus the discussion, it is always necessary to sort out the various ways to define “disaster.”

19. Community Social Capital as theprimarybasis for Resilience(Dynes, 2005) The concept of social capital / interaction networks(Bourdieu (1986)  is highlighted in the issue of disasters. Several studies conducted in the sociological perspective of disasters brought evidence that when people are associate in social networks  during peri-and post-event,are more resilient in recovery (Dynes, Quarentelli, Aguirre, et al.) Trust, associations and norms of reciprocity between groups and individuals, including beliefs and customs, represent the capital  that social networks provide visibility. Several studies, in divers places, and face to various events, show that  social and cultural capital, in the form of social networkscan be converted into tangible resources for the survivors to an event / disaster. And these networks create close ties, through the identification with one's fellows, helping to reduce vulnerabilities. In the case of hurricanes Katrina or Rita, people with extensive social networks were able to use them to accommodate family and friends outside the impact zones. Converted their capital, providing resources during the period of non-operability or destruction of their home areas in New Orleans (Barnshaw & Trainor, 2007).

21. ResilientCommunitiesPlanning-Intervention-PreventionA questionofGOVERNANCE

22. Citizenship & Governance

23. Social capital – underrepresented perspective A styleofthought, a method, a researchprogrammeproposalfor a sustainabledevelopement(a functionofthedegreeto whichkeyhazardimpacts are antecipatedandofthedegree to cope with) • Risk management must be an investment in resilience. • Therefore, in a world of complex systems involving highly coupled human and natural systems, and multifaceted social, economic and political institutions, high levels of uncertainty challenge existing assessment methods and established procedures for decision-making and risk management • (Kasperson, 2009).

24. DESASTRES • Cuando llegué a Curacautin • estaba lloviendo ceniza • por voluntad de los volcanes. • Me tuve que mudar a Talca • donde habían crecido tanto • los ríos tranquilos de Maule • que me dormí en una embarcación • y me fui a Valparaíso. • En Valparaíso caían • alrededor de mí las casas • y desayuné en los escombros • de mi perdida biblioteca • entre un Baudelaire sobrevivo • y un Cervantes desmantelado. • Hice mi cama junto a um rio • que llevaba más piedras que agua, • junto a unas encinas serenas, • lejos de todas las ciudades • junto a las piedras que cantaban • y al fin pude dormir en paz • con cierto temor de una estrella • que me miraba y parpadeaba • con cierta insistencia maligna. • Pero la mañana gentil • pintó de azul la negra noche • y las estrellas enemigas • fueron tragadas por la luz • mientras yo cantaba tranquilo • sin catástrofe y sin guitarra. • Pablo Neruda THANK YOU For yourattention Carmen Diego Gonçalves Investigadora de pós-doutoramento/FCT-CES /cdiego@ces.uc.pt