Ksenia Chmutina
Biographic Data
| ID | 1405847 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ksenia Chmutina |
| GIVEN NAMES | Ksenia |
| FAMILY NAME | Chmutina |
| SIGNATURE | CHMUTINA K |
| AFFILIATIONS | Loughborough University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5662-8954 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 30 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 43 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 30 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
A Reparative Paradigm for Thinking With Disasters
The field of disaster studies remains largely committed to a modernist spatio‐temporal imaginary that persistently emphasises the singularity of a given disaster and often fails to account for the broader set of affairs in which disasters are situated and shaped, in turn leading to circumspect, uninventive and ineffective policy outcomes. In light of these trends, we argue for a paradigm shift in disaster research. In this commentary, we aim to a…
From rigidity traps towards reparative disaster governance and management
Investigating space morphology in disaster
The urban spatial network plays a key role in the aftermath of an earthquake, potentially endangering its occupants, while also enabling evacuation. However, studies on vulnerability associated with the spatial network remain a fraction of the otherwise predominately building-centred work on urban disaster risk. Applications of space syntax modelling in disaster risk management to assess urban resilience in disaster scenarios are significant cont…
Solidarity in disaster scholarship
Disaster scholarship purportedly promotes disaster risk reduction and resists disaster risk creation, thereby deeply engaging with transboundary existential risks, justice, and political power. It is thus a commitment to humanity, and for it to become truly equitable and just, solidarity must lie at its heart. In this paper we connect solidarity with knowledge production and assess the implications of disaster scholarship and the relationships on…
Effing Awful!”
Purpose Disaster research is often geared towards logocentrism and has relatively few outputs that explore alternative forms of representation, particularly those using an artistic medium. This paper explores how the creative use of audio representation can enhance understanding of flooding experiences, challenging the predominant text-based approach within qualitative study. Design/methodology/approach During a series of visits to people who had…
In the arena
Space is a feature of all disasters, and it is through decisions on how space is developed, used, and reproduced that disasters manifest themselves. Critical urban theory sees urban space-cities-as an arena of contestation expressed through the relationship between people, power, and the built environment. Cities allow for an unpacking of this process of contestation through the interpretation of various temporal, spatial, social, and physical el…
Individual differences in psychological rigidity and beliefs about system fitness predict attitudes about social determinants of disaster risk
From labelling weakness to liberatory praxis
Purpose Vulnerability is a label and a concept that is widely used in disaster studies. To date the meaning has been quite limited and implied “weakness”, with criticisms arising periodically but not halting vulnerability's reproduction. In this paper, the authors offer a new theory of vulnerability for the field, suggesting that complicating the concept can create space for liberatory discourse and organising. Design/methodology/approach The aut…
From pity to fear
Vulnerability is not only a shared basic condition, but also a condition of potential. In the context of disasters and crises, the concept of vulnerability is frequently used to portray individuals and groups as 'weak', 'threatened', and 'in need of help'. Occasionally, though, a shift occurs and the 'threatened'-and therefore usually the pitied-become those who are feared and hated, that is, they become a 'threat'. This paper explores how appare…
Disaster Risk
The text offers a comprehensive and unique perspective on disaster risk associated with natural hazards. It covers a wide range of topics, reflecting the most recent debates but also older and pioneering discussions in the academic field of disaster studies as well as in the policy and practical areas of disaster risk reduction (DRR). This book will be of particular interest to undergraduate students studying geography and environmental studies/s…
Critique is not a verb”
Purpose In this position piece, the authors will reflect on some of their recent experiences with the peer-review process in disaster studies and show how debate can so easily be stifled. The authors write it as a plea for healthy academic argumentative discussion and intellectual dialogue that would help all of us to refine our ideas, respect others’ ideas and learn from each other. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide reflection on o…
Towards a liberatory pedagogy of disaster risk reduction among built environment educators
Purpose This paper aims to enhance the understanding of what is being taught – and how – to future built environment (BE) professionals in higher education (HE) BE curricular in the context of disaster risk reduction (DRR). Design/methodology/approach Reflecting on the results of an extensive survey carried out among 21 BE educators representing 14 countries, the pedagogies used to educate tomorrow’s BE professionals about DRR-related subjects ar…
The office of the future
Building back better' is neoliberal post-disaster reconstruction
Building back better' (BBB) has become one of the most common expressions in disaster risk reduction. Disasters offer an opportunity to encourage improvements not only in the structural safety of buildings and infrastructure, but also in addressing structural inequalities and injustice. Consequently, they are an opportunity to make things 'better'. However, in the context of neoliberalism, the definition of 'better' does not always mean 'good for…
Understanding Disaster Risk
Connecting heritage, vulnerabilities and capacities through a participatory game
Stop going around in circles
Purpose The way that disasters are managed, or indeed mis-managed, is often represented diagrammatically as a “disaster cycle”. The cyclical aspects of the disaster (risk) management concept, comprised of numerous operational phases, have, in recent years, been criticised for conceptualising and representing disasters in an overly simplistic way that typically starts with a disaster “event” – and subsequently leads onto yet another disaster. Such…
Exploring disaster ontologies from Chinese and Western perspectives
Purpose This paper explores ontological assumptions of disasters and introduces some concepts from Chinese disaster scholarship. The authors suggest an approach to explore and engage with different ontologies of disaster without direct comparison, that can further interdisciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration. Design/methodology/approach By reviewing the academic literature and focussing on two recent key translational texts by Chinese schol…
Developing disaster risk reduction skills among informal construction workers in Nepal
Capacity development has become an embedded component of the aid package offered by international organisations responding to humanitarian crises. The effectiveness of capacity development is, however, rarely monitored or examined. What is more, the local context and the learning preferences of trainees appear often to be overlooked. Yet, the informal construction sector is thriving throughout the world. Using a case study of Nepal, where constru…
Lost (and found?) in translation
Purpose Disaster studies has emerged as an international interdisciplinary body of knowledge; however, similar to other academic disciplines, its terminology is predominantly anglophone. This paper explores the implications of translating disaster studies terminology, most often theorised in English, into other languages and back. Design/methodology/approach The authors chose six of the most commonly used (as well as debated and contested) terms …
Protecting crowded places
A Dilemma of Language
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 aca…
Dealing with multiple hazards and threats on cultural heritage sites
Purpose Cultural heritage (CH) sites are not only important components of a country’s identity but can also be important drivers of tourism. However, an increasing number of extreme events associated with the impacts of climate change, natural hazards and human-induced threats are posing significant problems in conserving and managing CH worldwide. Consequently, improved climate change adaptation and enhanced hazard/threat mitigation strategies h…
Implications of transforming climate change risks into security risks
Purpose A number of severe weather events have influenced a shift in UK policy concerning how climate-induced hazards are managed. Whist this shift has encouraged improvements in emergency management and preparedness, the risk of climate change is increasingly becoming securitised within policy discourses, and enmeshed with broader agendas traditionally associated with human-induced threats. Climate change is seen as a security risk because it ca…
Unpacking resilience policy discourse
Building back better' is neoliberal post-disaster reconstruction
Building back better' (BBB) has become one of the most common expressions in disaster risk reduction. Disasters offer an opportunity to encourage improvements not only in the structural safety of buildings and infrastructure, but also in addressing structural inequalities and injustice. Consequently, they are an opportunity to make things 'better'. However, in the context of neoliberalism, the definition of 'better' does not always mean 'good for…
Unpacking resilience policy discourse
The financial entanglements of local energy projects
There is currently an expansion of local energy initiatives, underpinned by the desire to reduce energy-related carbon emissions and in recognition of the importance of the local arena to achieving such change. Much of the research on these initiatives has been framed by a conventional economic approach, identifying barriers, drivers and incentives to explain their emergence (or not). Here a new economic sociological approach is taken which sees …
From pity to fear
Vulnerability is not only a shared basic condition, but also a condition of potential. In the context of disasters and crises, the concept of vulnerability is frequently used to portray individuals and groups as 'weak', 'threatened', and 'in need of help'. Occasionally, though, a shift occurs and the 'threatened'-and therefore usually the pitied-become those who are feared and hated, that is, they become a 'threat'. This paper explores how appare…
Solidarity in disaster scholarship
Disaster scholarship purportedly promotes disaster risk reduction and resists disaster risk creation, thereby deeply engaging with transboundary existential risks, justice, and political power. It is thus a commitment to humanity, and for it to become truly equitable and just, solidarity must lie at its heart. In this paper we connect solidarity with knowledge production and assess the implications of disaster scholarship and the relationships on…
Protecting crowded places
The office of the future
Developing disaster risk reduction skills among informal construction workers in Nepal
Capacity development has become an embedded component of the aid package offered by international organisations responding to humanitarian crises. The effectiveness of capacity development is, however, rarely monitored or examined. What is more, the local context and the learning preferences of trainees appear often to be overlooked. Yet, the informal construction sector is thriving throughout the world. Using a case study of Nepal, where constru…
Concern or compliance? Drivers of urban decentralised energy initiatives
The UK has set an ambitious plan to substantially cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In order to meet this 2050 target of 80% reduction, the UK is facing a significant challenge of restructuring its energy system. One way to do this is via the wider use of decentralised energy (DE) systems in urban areas. A significant lack of understanding exists however, regarding the main factors that drive these energy projects. Following semi-structured…
Construction in Barbados
Purpose – Employing a case study of Barbados, the purpose of this paper is to highlight key stakeholders involved in the construction sector, discusses the roles of construction stakeholders in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and the key stages of the construction process where proactive DRR inputs could be made, The following objectives are addressed: to describe the main natural hazards in Barbados; to reveal key stakeholders involved in the deci…
The financial entanglements of local energy projects
There is currently an expansion of local energy initiatives, underpinned by the desire to reduce energy-related carbon emissions and in recognition of the importance of the local arena to achieving such change. Much of the research on these initiatives has been framed by a conventional economic approach, identifying barriers, drivers and incentives to explain their emergence (or not). Here a new economic sociological approach is taken which sees …
Sustainability and resilience in the built environment
Disaster Management
The present work will discuss relevant theoretical frameworks and applications pertaining to enabling resilience within the risk, crisis and disaster management domain. The contributions to this book focus on resilience thinking along 4 broad themes: Urban Domain; Cyber Domain; Organizational/Social domain; and Socio-ecological domain. This book would serve as a valuable reference for courses on risk, crisis and disaster management, international…
Unpacking resilience policy discourse
Implications of transforming climate change risks into security risks
Purpose A number of severe weather events have influenced a shift in UK policy concerning how climate-induced hazards are managed. Whist this shift has encouraged improvements in emergency management and preparedness, the risk of climate change is increasingly becoming securitised within policy discourses, and enmeshed with broader agendas traditionally associated with human-induced threats. Climate change is seen as a security risk because it ca…
A Dilemma of Language
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 aca…
Dealing with multiple hazards and threats on cultural heritage sites
Purpose Cultural heritage (CH) sites are not only important components of a country’s identity but can also be important drivers of tourism. However, an increasing number of extreme events associated with the impacts of climate change, natural hazards and human-induced threats are posing significant problems in conserving and managing CH worldwide. Consequently, improved climate change adaptation and enhanced hazard/threat mitigation strategies h…
Lost (and found?) in translation
Purpose Disaster studies has emerged as an international interdisciplinary body of knowledge; however, similar to other academic disciplines, its terminology is predominantly anglophone. This paper explores the implications of translating disaster studies terminology, most often theorised in English, into other languages and back. Design/methodology/approach The authors chose six of the most commonly used (as well as debated and contested) terms …
Protecting crowded places
Understanding Disaster Risk
Connecting heritage, vulnerabilities and capacities through a participatory game
Stop going around in circles
Purpose The way that disasters are managed, or indeed mis-managed, is often represented diagrammatically as a “disaster cycle”. The cyclical aspects of the disaster (risk) management concept, comprised of numerous operational phases, have, in recent years, been criticised for conceptualising and representing disasters in an overly simplistic way that typically starts with a disaster “event” – and subsequently leads onto yet another disaster. Such…
Exploring disaster ontologies from Chinese and Western perspectives
Purpose This paper explores ontological assumptions of disasters and introduces some concepts from Chinese disaster scholarship. The authors suggest an approach to explore and engage with different ontologies of disaster without direct comparison, that can further interdisciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration. Design/methodology/approach By reviewing the academic literature and focussing on two recent key translational texts by Chinese schol…
Developing disaster risk reduction skills among informal construction workers in Nepal
Capacity development has become an embedded component of the aid package offered by international organisations responding to humanitarian crises. The effectiveness of capacity development is, however, rarely monitored or examined. What is more, the local context and the learning preferences of trainees appear often to be overlooked. Yet, the informal construction sector is thriving throughout the world. Using a case study of Nepal, where constru…
Disaster Risk
The text offers a comprehensive and unique perspective on disaster risk associated with natural hazards. It covers a wide range of topics, reflecting the most recent debates but also older and pioneering discussions in the academic field of disaster studies as well as in the policy and practical areas of disaster risk reduction (DRR). This book will be of particular interest to undergraduate students studying geography and environmental studies/s…
Critique is not a verb”
Purpose In this position piece, the authors will reflect on some of their recent experiences with the peer-review process in disaster studies and show how debate can so easily be stifled. The authors write it as a plea for healthy academic argumentative discussion and intellectual dialogue that would help all of us to refine our ideas, respect others’ ideas and learn from each other. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide reflection on o…
Towards a liberatory pedagogy of disaster risk reduction among built environment educators
Purpose This paper aims to enhance the understanding of what is being taught – and how – to future built environment (BE) professionals in higher education (HE) BE curricular in the context of disaster risk reduction (DRR). Design/methodology/approach Reflecting on the results of an extensive survey carried out among 21 BE educators representing 14 countries, the pedagogies used to educate tomorrow’s BE professionals about DRR-related subjects ar…
The office of the future
Building back better' is neoliberal post-disaster reconstruction
Building back better' (BBB) has become one of the most common expressions in disaster risk reduction. Disasters offer an opportunity to encourage improvements not only in the structural safety of buildings and infrastructure, but also in addressing structural inequalities and injustice. Consequently, they are an opportunity to make things 'better'. However, in the context of neoliberalism, the definition of 'better' does not always mean 'good for…
Individual differences in psychological rigidity and beliefs about system fitness predict attitudes about social determinants of disaster risk
From labelling weakness to liberatory praxis
Purpose Vulnerability is a label and a concept that is widely used in disaster studies. To date the meaning has been quite limited and implied “weakness”, with criticisms arising periodically but not halting vulnerability's reproduction. In this paper, the authors offer a new theory of vulnerability for the field, suggesting that complicating the concept can create space for liberatory discourse and organising. Design/methodology/approach The aut…
From pity to fear
Vulnerability is not only a shared basic condition, but also a condition of potential. In the context of disasters and crises, the concept of vulnerability is frequently used to portray individuals and groups as 'weak', 'threatened', and 'in need of help'. Occasionally, though, a shift occurs and the 'threatened'-and therefore usually the pitied-become those who are feared and hated, that is, they become a 'threat'. This paper explores how appare…
Effing Awful!”
Purpose Disaster research is often geared towards logocentrism and has relatively few outputs that explore alternative forms of representation, particularly those using an artistic medium. This paper explores how the creative use of audio representation can enhance understanding of flooding experiences, challenging the predominant text-based approach within qualitative study. Design/methodology/approach During a series of visits to people who had…
Disaster Management and Resilience (20 works) · Political science (19 works) · Computer Science (18 works) · Sociology (15 works) · Geography (12 works) · Business (11 works) · Engineering (11 works) · Law (10 works) · Computer security (9 works) · Environmental planning (9 works)