Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital

A Study of the 500-Year Flood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Kevin F. Adler

Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital examines the vastly under-explored link between natural disasters and social capital in regards to the unprecedented June 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In-depth qualitative interviews with flood victims and key informants in Cedar Rapids reveal that a resident’s perception of social capital after a natural disaster is shaped by their vulnerabilities and social mobility, which vary substantially and need to be understood contextually. This book, in highlighting the enormous impact of one disaster in a mid-sized Midwestern city, offers a framework for a new theory for why social capital shifts in societies from one generation to another: the transformative impact of shared traumas.

University Press of America

Pages: 108 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7618-6466-0 • Paperback • April 2015 • $33.99 • (£25.00)

978-0-7618-6467-7 • eBook • April 2015 • $32.00 • (£25.00)

Subjects: Social Science / Research, Psychology / Social Psychology, Social Science / Disasters & Disaster Relief, Social Science / Regional Studies, Social Science / Social Classes & Economic Disparity, Social Science / American Studies, Social Science / Social Geography, Social Science / Social Change, Social Science / Environment

Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital

A Study of the 500-Year Flood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital examines the vastly under-explored link between natural disasters and social capital in regards to the unprecedented June 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In-depth qualitative interviews with flood victims and key informants in Cedar Rapids reveal that a resident’s perception of social capital after a natural disaster is shaped by their vulnerabilities and social mobility, which vary substantially and need to be understood contextually. This book, in highlighting the enormous impact of one disaster in a mid-sized Midwestern city, offers a framework for a new theory for why social capital shifts in societies from one generation to another: the transformative impact of shared traumas.

Details

University Press of America

Pages: 108 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7618-6466-0 • Paperback • April 2015 • $33.99 • (£25.00)

978-0-7618-6467-7 • eBook • April 2015 • $32.00 • (£25.00)

Subjects: Social Science / Research, Psychology / Social Psychology, Social Science / Disasters & Disaster Relief, Social Science / Regional Studies, Social Science / Social Classes & Economic Disparity, Social Science / American Studies, Social Science / Social Geography, Social Science / Social Change, Social Science / Environment

Author

Kevin F. Adler is an entrepreneur and sociologist who creates ventures that use technology to engage and transform communities.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

PART I
Chapter 1: Introduction
Why Study Disasters?
Why Study Social Capital?
Intersecting Two Research Canons
The Cedar Rapids Flood of 2008
Overview

Chapter 2: Natural Disasters
What Is a Natural Disaster?

Chapter 3: Social Capital
What Is Social Capital?
The Structural and Cultural Aspects
Is it a Private or Public Good?

Chapter 4: An Analogy
Social Capital as the Commons

PART II
Chapter 5: The Flood
A Perfect Storm
A Perfect Response?
An Imperfect Recovery
The Community Responds

Chapter 6: The Community
Social Capital Before the Flood
Social Capital After the Flood
Four Outlooks, Two Themes
Strengthened Community: We Are All in the Same Boat Together
Strengthened Community: Reevaluations Will Lead to Social Progress
Weakened Community: Neighborhoods Were Decimated
Weakened Community: New Rifts Emerged

PART III
Chapter 7: Two Cities?

Chapter 8: One Framework
Background Characteristics
Structural Aspects of Social Capital
Cultural Aspects of Social Capital
The Current, Contextually-Specific Situation

Chapter 9: Conclusion

Appendix I: Research Design
Appendix II: Maps
References