Social Dimensions Of Hurricane Katrina

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Recommended: The impacts of hurricane katrina on new orleans

Yingying Xu
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Hurricane Katrina: Social and ecological dimensions of a ‘natural’ disaster

Topic description
Hurricane Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. It raged on Monday, August 29th 2005, carrying with a storm surge that submerged most of New Orleans. Overall, at least 1,836 people died in the hurricane and subsequent floods; and the total property damage was estimated at $108 billion. New Orleans has a unique topography, its elevation is below sea level. In addition, before the hurricane, New Orleans itself had a high level of inequality, and was under poverty. The natural disaster hit a population that was unable to cope with, many people were unable to evacuate from the city. …show more content…

This case links nature and culture together and reveals the strong correlation between them. The hurricane was generated by natural courses, but the huge disaster was based on social factors, for example, the inequality and high crime rate even before the hurricane, and the government’s neglecting the reconstruction of the city. Also, it reflects the characteristics of the Anthropocene, where human activity has been a dominant influence on climate and the environment. We can say that the severity of hurricane is partly caused by human beings in terms of global warming, in addition, there were also human impacts on environment after the hurricane which made the situation worse. Furthermore, the disaster posed a question mark onto the environmental commons because lands and industries were all flooded away. The ecological restoration after the hurricane can be another disaster since the vulnerable levees and instant measures was totally not …show more content…

However less white residents came back because with higher socioeconomic status and economic strength, they were able to go to better places for a better living. The repopulation also indicated the inequality.

14. Colten, C.E. (2006). Vulnerability and Place: Flat Land and Uneven Risk in New Orleans. American Anthropologist. 108(4). 731-734.
Keywords: vulnerability, topography, population
The tragedy in New Orleans due to a double layer of vulnerability in topography and society. New Orleans was built on a plain, which was below the sea level, so the surge flooded it easily. What’s more, the population was vulnerable since people did not have health care and there were not enough infrastructures that could save their lives.

15. Dunbar, T. (20The New Orleans Commons.
Keywords: commons, rebuilding
After Katrina, New Orleans had more schools ranked as worst in the United States, reckless street crime, and one of the highest poverty rates in the century because the commons were destroyed. The resources became very limited and people started to be aware and the government was working on the renewal of the New Orleans

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