Dual Disasters: Humanitarian Aid After the 2004 Tsunami - Softcover

Hyndman, Jennifer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1565493354 ISBN 13: 9781565493353

Publisher: Kumarian Press, 2011

Synopsis

The 2004 tsunami was massive in every respect: the earthquake that preceded it was one of the largest ever recorded, the number of people killed or displaced is estimated at well over a million, and the international community donated billions of dollars to the relief effort. In some cases the tsunami struck regions already embroiled in other kinds of catastrophes – violent conflict and poverty. The tsunami’s presence not only wreaked havoc as a natural disaster, but it left an enduring mark on the political dynamics and power struggles of these places.

Dual Disasters describes what happens when “man-made” and “natural” disasters meet. Focusing specifically on Indonesia and Sri Lanka, countries that had complex emergencies long before the tsunami arrived, Hyndman shows how the storm’s arrival shifted the goals of international aid, altered relations between and within states and accelerated or slowed peacebuilding efforts. With updated comments on the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the book guides readers deftly through the multifaceted forces at work in modern humanitarian disasters.

About this title

About the Author

Jennifer Hyndman is Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University. Her research traverses political, economic, cultural and feminist geography, focusing on people's mobility, displacement, security. She is particularly concerned with the dynamics of conflict and disaster that create refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as international humanitarian responses to such crises.

Review

"Hyndman’s book powerfully shows the need to view disaster responses in relation to the historical and geographic contexts in which they occur."

"This book serves as a call for a more nuanced analysis of disasters, particularly those that fit within the concept of dual disasters."

"Overall, Hyndman provides excellent on-the-ground insights, bringing to the reader the experiences which disaster-affected people had. She provides some insightful critiques, such as Naomi Klein’s 'disaster capitalism' that 'underestimates local and national actors in Sri Lanka that aspire to different futures'. The book also impresses by choosing to investigate and analyse topics that are frequently overlooked, such as gender-based disaster impacts along with long-term root causes of vulnerability that led to the catastrophes. Fundamental tenets of disaster studies are rightly adopted, such as 'There is simply no such thing as a purely ‘natural’ disaster'."

"When the tsunami struck Sri Lanka and Aceh, Indonesia, both localities were theatres of long drawn-out armed conflicts. These “Dual Disasters”, as Hyndman calls them, have been the subject of comparative studies by several scholars. This contribution focuses especially on the role of humanitarian aid in the context of these dual disasters. The distinguishing feature of her contribution (in part with Arno Waizenegger) is to highlight the complexity of the interaction between the humanitarian aid that poured into these countries and the politics of the conflicts that were raging at that time. The analysis does not fall into the trap of clichés and easy answers of a subject that is widely debated both in scholarship and media. It is a multifaceted view from below. It should be especially useful for scholars, policy makers and professionals interested in the politics of foreign aid in general and humanitarian aid in particular."

“Hyndman skillfully draws together an array of fascinating and disturbing material to reveal the double-edged character of dual disasters – which bring both misery and opportunity. This wide-ranging volume interrogates the now-common aid refrain ‘building back better’ to ask the crucial question ‘build what back better?’”

"So rich in its analysis around the circumstances in which humanitarian action can be successful or not. I recommend the book to all who are involved in decision-making for humanitarian action. If well done, action in the wake of an emergency can bid for a more promising future."

Edition details

• Publisher: Kumarian Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1565493354
• ISBN 13: 9781565493353
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192