Introduction
Humanity has sought to understand the occurrence of environmental processes that interfere with and contribute to development and disaster. In examining catastrophes, modern science considers the structural vulnerability perspective to gain historical consciousness. Structural vulnerability encompasses the differences in power and social position that result in emotional and physical suffering to particular individuals and groups. Approaching the concept historically is vital because it shows how human actions, rather than environmental happenings, are responsible for disasters. Torani et al. (2019) state that “acquiring knowledge and its application in the realm of action is regarded as the only effective way for prevent disasters or reducing its effects.” Information gathered during and after a disaster is valuable in establishing future policies and practices that reduce the frequency of catastrophes and the risk of lives and resources being lost. This essay elucidates the significance of historically evaluating structural vulnerability in contemporary disaster literature using two case studies: The Chernobyl tragedy and Hurricane Katrina. Subsequently, the findings from these cases will be reflected upon based on Sontag’s perspective on disaster photography.
Case Study 1: Chernobyl
The historical consciousness of disasters helps people understand the consequences of bad decisions and putting one’s wants above the safety of others in society. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster that happened from 25th to 26th April 1986 resulted from dogmatic state efforts that contributed to the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The accident involved an unexpected power surge in a reactor systems trial that ruined the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the Soviet Union. Technicians at the plant initiated a poorly designed that led to an explosion that “released large amounts of deadly radioactive material that then dispersed far beyond the disaster zone itself” (Rodgers, 2021). The ensuing fire disseminated substantial radioactive material amounts into the atmosphere, causing deaths, radiation sickness, and environmental contamination, whose effects are still felt today in the surrounding areas.
Initially, the Soviet government attempted to conceal the disaster from the public. There were tensions in the West and the ramifications of the Cold War. However, the scale of the damage was so significant to be unnoticed, and the secret could not be kept any longer. The people of Chernobyl did not believe in the government’s openness and nuclear power plans. They thought that the communist economy had shortcomings and that the leader’s reforms were not serious. Therefore, they were against establishing the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the area. The leadership did not want to admit the mistake, which would mean that its technological ascendancy was flawed. As a result, they concealed the disaster from the people, resulting in distrust in the government. The ensuring political and economic toll hastened the USSR’s breakdown and fueled the global anti-nuclear movement. A lesson learned from the Chernobyl disaster is that public trust in the government is paramount. Additionally, the calamity informs the need for individuals and leaders to take ownership of their mistakes and develop solutions rather than fail to admit flaws.
Case Study 2: Hurricane Katrina
Secondly, gaining historical consciousness of disasters enables people to understand the foundation of various aspects of contemporary society, such as racial segregation. New Orleans is among the most segregated states in America today. The history of this diversity can be traced back to 29th August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, leading to the death of about 1836 people (Kahn, & Sachs, 2018) Many African Americans were affected by the floods because of poverty; they did not have adequate resources to evacuate the place on time. Therefore, they chose to stay and ended up losing their lives. Additionally, wealthy settlers had bought the high New Orleans grounds, forcing lower-income African Americans to live on the leftover shores.
Racial segregation development in New Orleans dates back to before the Civil War era. During this time, the city employed more enslaved people and relegated them to building their homes in low-lying near the coastal areas that were susceptible to floods. Housing segregation in New Orleans began with the rising racial zoning laws that prevented blacks from going to predominantly white neighborhoods. White neighborhoods were guarded against overcrowding and overdevelopment, while black residences became increasingly congested and exposed to toxic and harmful land uses. Subsequently, this led to redlining, where African Americans were denied home loans because they were deemed to come from financially at-risk neighborhoods. Racist housing practices provide the framework to understand why most black people were affected by Hurricane Katrina – they lived in low-lying, susceptible areas and did not have adequate resources to evacuate on time. The government’s response to the crisis was inefficient because of a lack of preparation, making the evacuation efforts slow. The sluggish and unfair response was because the city was predominantly Black, and the authorities did not care about the people because of their low income and racial status.
Sontag’s Regarding the Pain of Others
Disasters are often photographed and documented or displayed in museums and social media. The power of this photography lies in how much it triggers people and neighboring authorities to relate to the suffering of others and want to help. For example, images of poor people crowded and stranded on rooftops amid fetid surroundings were circulated during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The primary purpose of spreading these photos was to create awareness of the government’s shortcomings and prompt others to gather resources and help the catastrophe victims. Susan Sontag explains how disaster photographs will have a successful effect on people if they make them ask “who caused what the picture shows? Who is responsible? Is it excusable? Was it inevitable”…” (Sontag, 2004). Subsequently, this will make the audience of disaster photographs better understand the event, hold relevant parties accountable, and make better decisions to avoid the reoccurrence of the instance.
Conclusion
Looking back on past disasters helps people understand the social, political, and physical factors that led to the tragedies. In the aforementioned case studies, structural vulnerability can be seen in how susceptible the victims were to the catastrophes. The people of Chernobyl were politically and physically disadvantaged, and the blacks in New Orleans were physically and economically vulnerable to the disasters. Some groups are more susceptible to suffering, damage, and loss during a catastrophe than others. Similarly, some individuals tend to experience higher vulnerability levels than others. Therefore, disaster risk policies and practices should reduce vulnerability to lower the losses resulting from these events and hasten relief. One way to fasten disaster response efforts is using technological advancements, such as robots and drones, to communicate with emergency teams and locate survivors.
References
Kahn, M., & Sachs, B. (2018). Crises and turnaround management: lessons learned from recovery of New Orleans and Tulane University following Hurricane Katrina.Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, 9(4), 1–9. Web.
Rodgers, J. (2021). How the Chernobyl nuclear disaster shaped Russia and Ukraine’s modern history. Forbes. Web.
Torani, S., Majd, P. M., Maroufi, S. S., Dowlati, M., & Sheikhi, R. A. (2019). The importance of education on disasters and emergencies: A review article.Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 8, 1–7. Web.
Sontag, Susan. 2003. Regarding the pain of others. London: Penguin.