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I am interested in seeing how social ties and networks have been used to cope with (un)natural disasters. My research focus on places under disasters conditions such as Puerto Rico after hurricane Maria, in which social ties have made the difference between life and death. Furthermore, “natural” disaster has been used to approved austerity measures and unjust policies to impoverished communities like in New Orleans after Katrina. These policies were not new, as they are rooted in structures of power to preserve the status quo. Yet, people have resisted, “through a network of branches, cultures, and geographies” that has stimulated a reflective process of looking within for solutions rather than outside. As often this outside solutions are not only detached from community’s reality but can perpetuate social injustices and inequalities.

McKittrick, K., & Woods, C. A. (Eds.). (2007). Black geographies and the politics of place. South End Press.

Bullard, R. D., & Wright, B. (Eds.). (2009). Race, place, and environmental justice after Hurricane Katrina: Struggles to reclaim, rebuild, and revitalize New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Westview Press.

Doctors without Borders is a group that not only responds to emergencies and disasters, they also create predictions to problems that are affecting third-world communities. The research that best embodies this is the research conducted regaurding the  'Effect of Mass Supplementation with Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food during an Anticipated Nutritional Emergency' they used this information gathered in Niger to prove that with early intervention in children ages 6 to 23 months you can reduce mortality rate in areas at risk for nutritional deficiency crisis'.

This article has been referenced at least once in 'Making Sense of Disaster' by Howard Davis which focuses on response to acute human disasters.  

The article's main focus is on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and it's inhabiants. It follows the city through the aftermath of the storm, analzying the rebuilding efforts that were never truly seen to completeion. They describe the goverments' lack luster efforts to help the displaced survivors and thus their continued feeling of displacement by survivors.

The bibliography contains many references to academic studies on PTSD, and other event based mental disorders. this diverseness in bibliography shows a more statistical approach to analyzing the situtation rather than ubjective opinion.

• "Most organizations have their own definitions and categories for reporting incidents, which makes comparative research difficult"
• "There are also often inconsistencies in the categories used to describe perpetrators e e.g. terrorist, state actors, non-state actor e and these categories have legal ramifications under both International Humanitarian Law and in national legal frameworks. Although a standardizing of terminology and scope of study would be welcome, this has proven difficult."
• "Although violence directly affecting health service delivery in complex security environments has received a great deal of media attention, there is very little publically available research, particularly peer-reviewed, original research."