Kathleen Tierney is Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder.

* Detailed Contents

* List of Tables

* List of Figures

* Acknowledgments

* Chapter 1: The Social Significance of Disasters

* Chapter 2: Disaster Research in Historical Context: Early Insights and Recent Trends

* Chapter 3: Sociological Research on Disasters: Key Contributions from Other Disciplines

* Chapter 4: Theoretical Approaches and Perspectives in the Study of Hazards and Disasters

* Chapter 5: Confronting Disaster Research Challenges

* Chapter 6: Disaster Vulnerability

* Chapter 7: Disaster Resilience: Concepts, Measures, and Critiques

* Chapter 8: What the Future Holds: Greater Risks and Impacts or Greater Coping Capacity?

* Notes

* References

* Index

"If there ever were a time to review the evidence on how societies not only deal with disasters but contribute to them, now is that time. And Disasters: A Sociological Approach is that book. Full of insights from one of the leading disaster thinkers of our time, it will serve as a valuable resource to scholars, policymakers, and students for years to come."
James R. Elliott, Rice University

"Kathleen Tierney provides an incisive sociological scrutiny of the meaning and significance of disasters, bringing clarity through conceptual analyses and empirical examples. Although firmly grounded in sociology, she acknowledges the contribution to disaster studies of a selection of disciplines that offer both new and experienced researchers a broad base of sources, ideas, and examples. She presents a compelling argument throughout that fatally undermines the notion of a 'natural' disaster."
Maureen Fordham, University College London

"[A] very comprehensive book that serves as an excellent introduction, and due to its clarity will make a very good textbook for a range of courses. In Environmental and Disaster studies, it makes an important contribution by highlighting social inequality and how it informs disaster vulnerability and resilience."
The Sociological Review