Rising to the Challenges of a Catastrophe

The Emergent and Prosocial Behavior following Hurricane Katrina

Bibliographic Data

ID9748193
AuthorsHavidán Rodríguez (Disaster Research Center, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware), Joseph Trainor (0000-0002-1676-1985, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice), Enrico L Quarantelli (Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware)
Year2006
Volume604
Issue1
Pages82-101
Publication date2006-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-7162 • E-ISSN: 1552-3349
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0002716205284677
OpenAlexW2150728936
LanguageEN
Citations received107
References cited5

Using several data sources including an extensive database of media reports and a series of government documents, but relying primarily on the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center’s field research in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the authors describe the nontraditional behavior that emerged in that catastrophe. They also discuss the prosocial behavior (much of it emergent) that was by far the primary response to this event, despite widespread media reports of massive antisocial behavior. Their study focuses on individual and group reactions in Louisiana during the first three weeks following the hurricane. The authors limit their systematic analyses of emergent behavior to five groupings: hotels, hospitals, neighborhood groups, rescue teams, and the Joint Field Office. Their analysis shows that most of the improvisations undertaken helped in dealing with the various problems that continued to emerge following Katrina. The various social systems and the people in them rose to the demanding challenges of a catastrophe

Criminology · Disaster research · Geography · Government (linguistics · Hurricane katrina · Natural disaster · Prosocial behavior · Disaster Management and Resilience · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Social Psychology

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