From Aberfan to the ‘Canvey Factor’

Schools, children and industrial disasters

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11166151
AutoresJohn Preston (0000-0003-1219-4108, University of East London, autor de correspondencia)
Año2016
Volumen37
Número4
Páginas607-622
Fecha de publicación2016-05-18
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBritish Journal of Sociology of Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0142-5692 • E-ISSN: 1465-3346
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01425692.2014.961596
OpenAlexW2017528928
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas18

Children, and schools, are potent symbols of victimhood in industrial disasters. In the case of historical industrial disasters such as Aberfan and Flixborough, and in terms of preparation for future industrial disasters under Control of Major Accident Hazard regulations, communities are seen as passive responders to accidents. Moreover, following industrial accidents, communities are frequently accused of culpability or profiting from the disaster. There is hence a double pathologisation in play, with communities seen as comprising passive victims and manipulative survivors. Using an historical approach, the official accounts of the Aberfan and Flixborough industrial accidents are challenged with a focus on schools and children. Rather than being passive victims of these accidents, schools and children demonstrated agency in terms of their tacit knowledge, reporting potential accidents and recording their consequences. This provides a lens through which to interrogate current policy on industrial safety as it relates to schools and communities

Agency (philosophy · Criminology · Culpability · Hazard · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Disaster Management and Resilience · Homelessness and Social Issues