Sociology 334 - Sociology/IntlCrises&Disasters

Disasters result from sudden or slow incremental environmental changes, technological glitches, industrial negligence, chemical pollution, and willful acts of terror. Despite various sources of disasters, they all culminate in unmistakable massive changes for individuals, rural communities, and urban centers. While earlier understanding of disasters focused on the impact of "natural" disasters on the built environment and fatalities, more recent sociological theories and case studies of disasters have given more attention to the social causes and consequences of disaster. Disasters bring about massive displacement, disruption to routine life, economic loss, death, physical suffering and psychological trauma.