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Omar Pérez: Submarine Roots, Resisting (un)natural disasters

omarperez

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.

Annotated Bibliography (EIS)

This link complements the Essay Bibliography of the Project Environmental Justice framing implications in the EIS.

EPA Database on EISs

This (EIS) database provides information about EISs provided by federal agencies, and EPA's comments concerning the EIS process.

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The final edited version has published via Annual Reviews of Public Health.

“The Annual Review of Public Health, in publication since 1980, covers significant developments in the field of Public Health, including key developments in epidemiology and biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, issues related to social environment and behavior, health services, and public health practice.” [http://www.annualreviews.org/journal/publhealth]

The journal can help the health professionals by exploring not only contents in the sub-sections of Public Health but further more explore other detailed topics with other journal sections such as Medicine, Nutrition etc.

“The mission of Annual Reviews is to provide systematic, periodic examinations of scholarly advances in a number of fields of science through critical authoritative reviews. The comprehensive critical review not only summarizes a topic but also roots out errors of fact or concept and provokes discussion that will lead to new research activity. The critical review is an essential part of the scientific method.” [http://www.annualreviews.org/page/about/our-mission-and-our-founder]

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Annotation of
  1. With the lack of medical centers, there is a lot of cost to invest into the help to these countries. But the main reason is the occurrence of war and instable activities.

“In 2015, MSF provided humanitarian assistance in 69 countries.

Around 54 per cent of activities were carried out in settings of instability. Some 57 per cent of programs were in Africa…MSF spent 1,283 million euros: 82 per cent was spent on humanitarian activities…” [http://www.msf.org/en/article/msf-international-activity-report-2015]

2. There is an urgently need of HIV/TB doctors in the field. [http://www.msf.org/en/work-msf/working-in-the-field]

“MSF provided care for 333,900 people living with HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral treatment for 240,100 people in 2015.” With the lack of appropriate medical educations, many people do not know they have infected with HIV. [MSF international_activity_report_2015_en_2nd_ed.pdf]

3. Close of Programs

“When a violent situation has stabilized sufficiently, and access to health services improves, MSF will close its program.”

“When local or national authorities and organizations have the capacity and motivation to restore and develop a medical system that meets the urgent needs of the population, MSF will withdraw.”

“MSF will close a program when a medical emergency ends.”

[http://www.msf.org/en/msf-activities]