Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital: A Study of the 500-Year Flood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

by Kevin F. Adler

Overview

Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital examines the vastly under-explored link between natural disasters and social capital in regards to the unprecedented June 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In-depth qualitative interviews with flood victims and key informants in Cedar Rapids reveal that a resident’s perception of social capital after a natural disaster is shaped by their vulnerabilities and social mobility, which vary substantially and need to be understood contextually. This book, in highlighting the enormous impact of one disaster in a mid-sized Midwestern city, offers a framework for a new theory for why social capital shifts in societies from one generation to another: the transformative impact of shared traumas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761864660
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	04/03/2015
Pages:	108
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Kevin F. Adler is an entrepreneur and sociologist who creates ventures that use technology to engage and transform communities.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments PART I Chapter 1: Introduction Why Study Disasters? Why Study Social Capital? Intersecting Two Research Canons The Cedar Rapids Flood of 2008 Overview Chapter 2: Natural Disasters What Is a Natural Disaster? Chapter 3: Social Capital What Is Social Capital? The Structural and Cultural Aspects Is it a Private or Public Good? Chapter 4: An Analogy Social Capital as the Commons PART II Chapter 5: The Flood A Perfect Storm A Perfect Response? An Imperfect Recovery The Community Responds Chapter 6: The Community Social Capital Before the Flood Social Capital After the Flood Four Outlooks, Two Themes Strengthened Community: We Are All in the Same Boat Together Strengthened Community: Reevaluations Will Lead to Social Progress Weakened Community: Neighborhoods Were Decimated Weakened Community: New Rifts Emerged PART III Chapter 7: Two Cities? Chapter 8: One Framework Background Characteristics Structural Aspects of Social Capital Cultural Aspects of Social Capital The Current, Contextually-Specific Situation Chapter 9: Conclusion Appendix I: Research Design Appendix II: Maps References