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Disaster Colonialism: A Commentary on Disasters beyond Singular Events to Structural Violence

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  • Danielle Zoe Rivera

Abstract

Disasters are often, outside disaster studies, viewed as singularities. This characterization of disaster disallows analysis of racial violence and dispossession structurally instituted across multiple disasters. As a result, repeatedly poor pre‐disaster and post‐disaster planning is leveraged to displace and disenfranchise marginalized communities. With climate change, disasters are projected to become more intense and frequent, necessitating a serious inquiry into inequalities occurring across repeated disasters. This essay uses theories of colonialism and coloniality from Puerto Rico to examine how colonialism operates through repeated disaster, in this case hurricanes. Building off of research on environmental colonialism in Puerto Rico, the concept of disaster colonialism is proposed to explain how procedural vulnerability is deepened through disasters and subsequently leveraged to deepen coloniality. To illustrate the utility of this term, a brief overview of Puerto Rico's environmental history with hurricanes is examined through the lens of disaster colonialism. Ultimately, the commentary poses three questions to planners relative to the concept of disaster colonialism.

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  • Danielle Zoe Rivera, 2022. "Disaster Colonialism: A Commentary on Disasters beyond Singular Events to Structural Violence," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 126-135, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:46:y:2022:i:1:p:126-135
    DOI: 10.1111/1468-2427.12950
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    1. Linda Shi & Eric Chu & Isabelle Anguelovski & Alexander Aylett & Jessica Debats & Kian Goh & Todd Schenk & Karen C. Seto & David Dodman & Debra Roberts & J. Timmons Roberts & Stacy D. VanDeveer, 2016. "Roadmap towards justice in urban climate adaptation research," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(2), pages 131-137, February.
    2. Linda Shi & Eric Chu & Isabelle Anguelovski & Alexander Aylett & Jessica Debats & Kian Goh & Todd Schenk & Karen C. Seto & David Dodman & Debra Roberts & J. Timmons Roberts & Stacy D. VanDeveer, 2016. "Correction: Corrigendum: Roadmap towards justice in urban climate adaptation research," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(6), pages 634-634, June.
    3. Eric Chu & Isabelle Anguelovski & JoAnn Carmin, 2016. "Inclusive approaches to urban climate adaptation planning and implementation in the Global South," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 372-392, April.
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