A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature
Abstract For decades sections of the academic community have been emphasizing that disasters are not natural. Nevertheless, politicians, the media, various international organizations—and, more surprisingly, many established researchers working in disaster studies—are still widely using the expressi...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-09-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Disaster Risk Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-019-00232-2 |
| _version_ | 1818159115459887104 |
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| author | Ksenia Chmutina Jason von Meding |
| author_facet | Ksenia Chmutina Jason von Meding |
| author_sort | Ksenia Chmutina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract For decades sections of the academic community have been emphasizing that disasters are not natural. Nevertheless, politicians, the media, various international organizations—and, more surprisingly, many established researchers working in disaster studies—are still widely using the expression “natural disaster.” We systematically analyzed the usage of the expression “natural disaster” by disaster studies researchers in 589 articles in six key academic journals representative of disaster studies research, and found that authors are using the expression in three principal ways: (1) delineating natural and human-induced hazards; (2) using the expression to leverage popularity; and (3) critiquing the expression “natural disaster.” We also identified vulnerability themes that illustrate the context of “natural disaster” usage. The implications of continuing to use this expression, while explicitly researching human vulnerability, are wide-ranging, and we explore what this means for us and our peers. This study particularly aims to stimulate debate within the disaster studies research community and related fields as to whether the term “natural disaster” is really fit for purpose moving forward. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T15:40:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bebb0cc22914a31951e3dec1cb4c4d7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-0055 2192-6395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T15:40:51Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Disaster Risk Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bebb0cc22914a31951e3dec1cb4c4d72022-12-22T00:59:48ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of Disaster Risk Science2095-00552192-63952019-09-0110328329210.1007/s13753-019-00232-2A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic LiteratureKsenia Chmutina0Jason von Meding1School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough UniversityFlorida Institute for Built Environment Resilience, University of FloridaAbstract For decades sections of the academic community have been emphasizing that disasters are not natural. Nevertheless, politicians, the media, various international organizations—and, more surprisingly, many established researchers working in disaster studies—are still widely using the expression “natural disaster.” We systematically analyzed the usage of the expression “natural disaster” by disaster studies researchers in 589 articles in six key academic journals representative of disaster studies research, and found that authors are using the expression in three principal ways: (1) delineating natural and human-induced hazards; (2) using the expression to leverage popularity; and (3) critiquing the expression “natural disaster.” We also identified vulnerability themes that illustrate the context of “natural disaster” usage. The implications of continuing to use this expression, while explicitly researching human vulnerability, are wide-ranging, and we explore what this means for us and our peers. This study particularly aims to stimulate debate within the disaster studies research community and related fields as to whether the term “natural disaster” is really fit for purpose moving forward.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-019-00232-2Academic communicationDisastersNatural hazardsLanguage |
| spellingShingle | Ksenia Chmutina Jason von Meding A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature International Journal of Disaster Risk Science Academic communication Disasters Natural hazards Language |
| title | A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature |
| title_full | A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature |
| title_fullStr | A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature |
| title_short | A Dilemma of Language: “Natural Disasters” in Academic Literature |
| title_sort | dilemma of language natural disasters in academic literature |
| topic | Academic communication Disasters Natural hazards Language |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-019-00232-2 |
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