Catastrophic Geo‐Graphies? An Afterword

Abstract

Writing about is not easy. But it can also be very significant, at different levels and with different implications. If, in mathematical terms, a catastrophe is a sudden shift, in sociological terms, expression may be used to imply a rupture of system of normal relations, caused by a unexpected event--in this case, a disaster. A catastrophe involves destruction of everyday ordinariness, that is to say, of usual space-time envelope, exposing reaction of private and of public life to a sudden change. Indeed, as Claude Raffestin wrote (1987, 4), point of view of human ecology, disasters are very interesting, if use of such an expression, a little excessive, is legitimate, in three different moments. First of all, moment of disaster itself is interesting, since it may emphasize behaviours that are not frequently observed, if you have cold blood of doing so. But aftermath, when rescue and recovery procedures are activated, is interesting as well, since this is moment when it becomes possible to scrutinize how a given society reacts in a moment of crisis; from this perspective, it may help in highlighting system of political and socio-economic relations of that society, and private behaviour of its citizens. Later, moment of reconstruction is relevant, since it is time when it becomes possible to seize codes, and more general discourse behind them, employed in order to restyle a (new) sociopolitical and socioeconomic equilibrium. From a social perspective (Fritz 1961), a disaster may be analysed, at least, on two different levels. As a singular occurrence, it must be investigated in order to understand how system works, in terms of bureaucracy and organization, in order to understand if failures to respond adequately to initial event multiply their effects (turning it into a real catastrophe, as remarked by John Agnew, in foreword). fact, analyzing succession of events makes it possible to see if catastrophic condition is, at least partially, consequence of an myopia, that is of given barriers that impede organizations from identifying an effective response to problems that they have to confront (Catino 2013). On this level, an analytic exam of problems incurred during former occasions may prove to be useful to prevent similar situations from being repeated in future. If considered at mesoscale level, analysis of a catastrophe can offer even more precious information. From this perspective, the investigation of these phenomena can extend sociological theories of human behaviour and social organization (Merton 1969, xi), since rupture of former situation exposes power relations existing between different components of local community, and also between local community, national society, and international scenario. Indeed, as underlined by Quarantelli (2006), catastrophes as happened in Katrina force to surface racial, class and ethnic differences that are papered over during routine times. So, breaking ordinariness of everyday life can help in understanding not only how society works in organizational terms, but also how it is structured on inside. In this way, hurricanes and other calamities offer 'strategic research sites' for sociological inquiry (Elliot and Pais 2006, p.296; Quarantelli 1998). Moreover, analysing how local media describe event, and general reaction of people, can help in understanding how certain myths about disasters are created and disseminated (Wenger and Friedman 1986). But disasters are interesting from an international point of view as well. Indeed, when machine of international aid is triggered, analysing public discourse with tools of critical geopolitics can help in understanding relations that connect community struck by event with other communities and societies. …