Search

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.

The authors present a number of current strategies that are primarily developed around an emergency modality of intervention. The strategies and protocols currently implemented by numerous organizations involve short-term interventions and responses to the immediate threat or crisis rather than the long-term socioeconomic or geopolitical factors that contribute to the emergence of such threats. The current focus lies in emergency response and humanitarian aid rather than nation building or infrastructure developments.

OSHA has set numerous occupational standards affecting almost every industry. In addition, OSHA conducts inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards. Failure to adhere to established standards could open up an organization to potential lawsuits and punitive actions.