Vietnamese migrants’ engagement in disaster risk reduction: The relevance of social capital

Abstract

Researchers commonly employ the concept of social capital to examine how people engage with disaster risk reduction. This approach has generated useful knowledge to improve the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction for the general population. However, disaster risk reduction knowledge and practices designed for the general population might not speak to Vietnamese migrants because they do not reflect Vietnamese cultural practices and norms. This paper contributes to the literature by presenting findings from a narrative inquiry into Vietnamese migrants’ experiences of disaster risk reduction in the Wellington Region, Aotearoa New Zealand. The participants’ narratives suggest that Vietnamese migrants employ bonding and bridging social capital to gain knowledge about natural hazards and disaster risk reduction. Their disaster risk reduction reflects certain socio-cultural norms and values as well as family and gender dynamics among Vietnamese migrants. The findings also indicate that, for Vietnamese migrants who do not have well-established social networks, social capital-based disaster risk reduction might be less effective.