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Complex Emergencies versus Natural Disasters: An Analytical Comparison of Causes and Effects

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  • J. M. Albala-Bertrand

Abstract

This paper compares complex humanitarian emergencies with natural disasters. The key feature of a complex emergency is the societal/institutional weakness that fails to accommodate competing identity groups, while the key characteristic of a natural disaster is the physical weakness of structures and processes that fail to compensate for extreme natural events. The main difference between complex emergencies and natural disasters is the degree of societal endogeneity of causes and effects, the former being fully endogenous, the latter being only partially so. A subordinated difference between them is the way in which the key concepts of vulnerability, proneness and the unleashing event relate to one another. In natural disasters these three concepts are mostly constant and can normally be analysed with a good deal of independence from each other, while in complex emergencies they exhibit a strong interdependency and derived variability. Finally, in complex emergencies most effects are deliberately institutional, while in natural disasters most effects are random and the institutional ones are mostly incidental and not normally important.

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  • J. M. Albala-Bertrand, 2000. "Complex Emergencies versus Natural Disasters: An Analytical Comparison of Causes and Effects," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 187-204.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:28:y:2000:i:2:p:187-204
    DOI: 10.1080/713688308
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wayne Nafziger, 1996. "The Economics Of Complex Humanitarian Emergencies: Preliminary Approaches And Findings," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-1996-119, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Wayne Nafziger & Juha Auvinen, 1997. "War, Hunger, and Displacement: An Econometric Investigation into the Sources of Humanitarian Emergencies," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-1997-142, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Jose Miguel Albala-Bertrand, 2000. "What is a "Complex Humanitarian Emergency"? An Analytical Essay," Working Papers 420, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    4. Osmani, S.R., 1993. "The Entitlement Approach to Famine: An Assessment," Research Paper 107, World Institute for Development Economics Research.
    5. Vayrynen, R., 1996. "The Age of Humanitarian Emergencies," Research Paper 25, World Institute for Development Economics Research.
    6. Nafziger, E.W., 1996. "The Economics of Complex Humanitarian Emergencies: Preliminary Approaches and Findings," Research Paper 119, World Institute for Development Economics Research.
    7. S. R. Osmani, 1993. "The Entitlement Approach to Famine: An Assessment," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-1993-107, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Nafziger, E.W. & Auvinen, J., 1997. "War, Hunger, and Displacement: An Econometric Investigation into the Sources of Humanitarian Emergencies," Research Paper 142, World Institute for Development Economics Research.
    9. Jose Miguel Albala-Bertrand, 2000. "What is a "Complex Humanitarian Emergency"? An Analytical Essay," Working Papers 420, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    10. Melkas, Helina, 1996. "Humanitarian Emergencies Indicators, Measurements, and Data Considerations," WIDER Working Papers 295370, United Nations University, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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    Cited by:

    1. Vallino.Elena, 2013. "Why droughts started to turn into famines in the Late Victorian periods? A complex system approach," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201317, University of Turin.
    2. Andrew Worthington & Abbas Valadkhani, 2004. "Measuring the impact of natural disasters on capital markets: an empirical application using intervention analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(19), pages 2177-2186.
    3. Claude Berrebi & Jordan Ostwald, 2013. "Exploiting the Chaos: Terrorist Target Choice Following Natural Disasters," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 79(4), pages 793-811, April.
    4. Claude Berrebi & Jordan Ostwald, 2011. "Earthquakes, hurricanes, and terrorism: do natural disasters incite terror?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 383-403, December.
    5. Jose Miguel Albala-Bertrand, 2000. "What is a "Complex Humanitarian Emergency"? An Analytical Essay," Working Papers 420, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    6. Jose Miguel Albala-Bertrand, 2000. "What is a "Complex Humanitarian Emergency"? An Analytical Essay," Working Papers 420, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    7. Claude Berrebi & Jordan Ostwald, 2011. "Earthquakes, hurricanes, and terrorism: do natural disasters incite terror?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 383-403, December.
    8. Jose Miguel Albala-Bertrand, 2006. "The Unlikeliness of an Economic Catastrophe: Localization & Globalization," Working Papers 576, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.

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