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Invented Communities and Social Vulnerability: The Local Post-Disaster Dynamics of Extreme Environmental Events

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  • Rolf Lidskog

    (Environmental Sociology Section, School of Humanities, Educational and Social Sciences, Örebro University, 702 81 Örebro, Sweden)

Abstract

This paper investigates post-disaster dynamics at the local level, in particular how local identity and social cohesion are affected after an extreme event. A particular case is investigated: the largest forest fire in modern Swedish history, which took place in 2014. The empirical material consists of interviews with forest professionals and organizations involved with the fire or the post-fire work and a postal survey to all people directly affected by the wildfire. The analysis finds that the experience of the wildfire and its social interpretation led to the invention of a particular community identity, one that strengthened the self-understanding of the community. Thus, the post-disaster dynamics are pivotal for what social practices that emerge and what local identities are invented and thus may greatly affect the capacity of a community to handle extreme events.

Suggested Citation

  • Rolf Lidskog, 2018. "Invented Communities and Social Vulnerability: The Local Post-Disaster Dynamics of Extreme Environmental Events," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4457-:d:186020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Rolf Lidskog & Daniel Sjödin, 2016. "Risk governance through professional expertise. Forestry consultants’ handling of uncertainties after a storm disaster," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(10), pages 1275-1290, November.
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    4. Liesel A. Ritchie & Duane A. Gill & Michael A. Long, 2018. "Mitigating Litigating: An Examination of Psychosocial Impacts of Compensation Processes Associated with the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(8), pages 1656-1671, August.
    5. Travis Paveglio & Catrin Edgeley, 2017. "Community diversity and hazard events: understanding the evolution of local approaches to wildfire," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 87(2), pages 1083-1108, June.
    6. Andrew Gouldson & Rolf Lidskog & e Wester-Herber, 2007. "The Battle for Hearts and Minds? Evolutions in Corporate Approaches to Environmental Risk Communication," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 25(1), pages 56-72, February.
    7. Andrew Butler & Ingrid Sarlöv-Herlin & Igor Knez & Elin Ångman & Åsa Ode Sang & Ann Åkerskog, 2018. "Landscape identity, before and after a forest fire," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(6), pages 878-889, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Emily Fucile-Sanchez & Meri Davlasheridze, 2020. "Adjustments of Socially Vulnerable Populations in Galveston County, Texas USA Following Hurricane Ike," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-23, August.
    2. Hua Qin & Martha Bass & Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad & David Matarrita-Cascante & Christine Sanders & Barituka Bekee, 2020. "Community, Natural Resources, and Sustainability: Overview of an Interdisciplinary and International Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-14, February.

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