Religious Responses to Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Disasters

Religious Responses to Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Disasters
Author: David Chester
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2024-07-26
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1040110738

This book argues that, although secular and religious perspectives on disasters have often conflicted, today there are grounds for believing that the world’s major faiths have much to contribute to the processes of post-disaster recovery and future disaster risk reduction (DRR). It seeks to demonstrate how contemporary dialogues between theologians, disaster scholars and policymakers are defining new ways of working together. These explore how the resources of religious communities, e.g. buildings, human resources and finance, may be used to foster successful policies of DRR, particularly in the aftermath of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Musing on the relationships between religion and disasters has occurred for millennia and has affected many societies worldwide. In societies where the world’s major religions – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Shinto – have been and remain dominant, attempting to find supernatural explanations for disasters has occurred throughout history and there have been many theologies seeking to explain why people suffer losses. It is argued that developments both within these traditions of faith and in how disasters are understood by the hazard research community of researchers and planners have allowed a new modus vivendi to emerge which emphasises both a recognition of religious worldviews by academic writers and disaster planners on the one hand, and a desire by people of faith and their leaders to be more fully committed to the goals of DRR. The book will appeal to those who are interested in the interface between disasters and theology across the principal religions of the world. This includes researchers and students in geology, geography, theology and religious studies. It will also be useful for specialist academic audience and the educated general reader.

Religious Responses to Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Disasters

Religious Responses to Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Disasters
Author: David K. Chester
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2025
Genre: Disaster relief
ISBN: 9781032276052

"This book argues that, although secular and religious perspectives on disasters have often conflicted, today there are grounds for believing that the world's major faiths have much to contribute to the processes of post-disaster recovery and future disaster risk reduction (DRR). It seeks to demonstrate how contemporary dialogues between theologians, disaster scholars and policymakers are defining new ways. These ways explore the resources of religious communities e.g. buildings, human resources and finance may be used to foster successful policies of disaster risk reduction, particularly in the aftermath of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Musing on the relationships between religion and disasters has occurred for millennia and has affected many societies worldwide. In societies where the world's major religions - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Shinto - have been and remain dominant, attempting to find supernatural explanations for disasters has occurred throughout history and there have been many theologies seeking to explain why people suffer losses. It is argued that developments both within these traditions of faith and in how disasters are understood by the hazard research community of researchers and planners has allowed a new modus vivendi to emerge which emphasises both a recognition of religious worldviews by academic writers and disaster planners on the one hand, and a desire by people of faith and their leaders to be more fully committed to the goals of disaster risk reduction (DRR). The book will appeal to those who are interested in the interface between disasters and theology across the principal religions of the world. This includes researchers and students in geology, geography, theology and religious studies. It will also be useful for specialist academic audience and the educated general reader"--

The Ancient Sea

The Ancient Sea
Author: Hamish Williams
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2022-11-17
Genre: History
ISBN: 180207922X

In the ancient Mediterranean world, the sea was an essential domain for trade, cultural exchange, communication, exploration, and colonisation. In tandem with the lived reality of this maritime space, a parallel experience of the sea emerged in narrative representations from ancient Greece and Rome, of the sea as a cultural imaginary. This imaginary seems often to oscillate between two extremes: the utopian and the catastrophic; such representations can be found in narratives from ancient history, philosophy, society, and literature, as well as in their post-classical receptions. Utopia can be found in some imaginary island paradise far away and across the distant sea; the sea can hold an unknown, mysterious, divine wealth below its surface; and the sea itself as a powerful watery body can hold a liberating potential. The utopian quality of the sea and seafaring can become a powerful metaphor for articulating political notions of the ideal state or for expressing an individual’s sense of hope and subjectivity. Yet the catastrophic sea balances any perfective imaginings: the sea threatens coastal inhabitants with floods, tsunamis, and earthquakes and sailors with storms and the accompanying monsters. From symbolic perspectives, the catastrophic sea represents violence, instability, the savage, and even cosmological chaos. The twelve papers in this volume explore the themes of utopia and catastrophe in the liminal environment of the sea, through the lens of history, philosophy, literature and classical reception. Contributors: Manuel Álvarez-Martí-Aguilar, Vilius Bartninkas, Aaron L. Beek, Ross Clare, Gabriele Cornelli, Isaia Crosson, Ryan Denson, Rhiannon Easterbrook, Emilia Mataix Ferrándiz, Georgia L. Irby, Simona Martorana, Guy Middleton, Hamish Williams.

Impact of Tectonic Activity on Ancient Civilizations

Impact of Tectonic Activity on Ancient Civilizations
Author: Eric R. Force
Publisher: Lexington Books
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2015-08-27
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1498514286

Impact of Tectonic Activity on Ancient Civilizations: Recurrent Shakeups, Tenacity, Resilience, and Change observes a remarkable spatial correspondence of zones of active tectonism (i.e. plate boundaries in the earth’s crust) with the most complex cultures of antiquity (“great ancient civilizations”), and continues to explore the meaning of this relationship from a number of independent angles. Due to resulting site damage, this distribution is counter-intuitive. Nevertheless, systematic differences between “tectonic” and “quiescent” cultures show that tectonic activity corresponded in antiquity with more cultural dynamism. Data of several independent types support direct cultural influence of tectonism, including vignettes of the impact of tectonism in specific ancient cultures. An expectation of change seems to be a feature such tectonic cultures shared, and led to an acceleration of development. These dynamics continue though much obscured in the present day.

Routledge Handbook of Environmental Hazards and Society

Routledge Handbook of Environmental Hazards and Society
Author: Tara K. McGee
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 712
Release: 2022-06-30
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1000597601

This Handbook provides a state-of-the-science review of research and practice in the human dimensions of hazards field. The Routledge Handbook of Environmental Hazards and Society reviews and assesses existing knowledge and explores future research priorities in this growing field. It showcases the work of international experts, including established researchers, future stars in the field, and practitioners. Organised into four parts, all chapters have an international focus, and many include case studies from around the world. Part I explains geophysical and hydro-meteorological/climatological hazards, their impacts, and mitigation. Part II explores vulnerability, resilience, and equity. Part III explores preparedness, responses during environmental hazard events, impacts, and the recovery process. Part IV explores policy and practice, including governments, support provided during and after environmental hazard events, and provision of information. This Handbook will serve as an important resource for students, academics, practitioners, and policymakers working in the fields of environmental hazards and disaster risk reduction.

Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity on Islands

Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity on Islands
Author: David Chester
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 251
Release: 2021-11-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0429648103

This volume examines the impact of and responses to historic earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Azores. Study is placed in the contexts of: the history and geography of this fascinating archipelago; progress being made in predicting future events and policies of disaster risk reduction. This is the only volume to consider the earthquake and volcanic histories of the Azores across the whole archipelago and is based, not only on contemporary published research, but also on the detailed study of archival source materials. The authors seek to show how extreme environmental events, as expressed through eruptions, earthquakes and related processes operating in the past may be considered using both complementary scientific and social scientific perspectives in order to reveal the ways in which Azorean society has been shaped by both an isolated location in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and the ever present threat of environmental uncertainty. Chapter 2, which analyses in depth the geology and tectonics of the islands is of more specialist interest, but technical terms are fully explained so as to widen the accessibility of this material. The audience for this volume includes all those who are interested in the geology, geography, history and hazard responses in the Azores. It is written, not just for the educated general reader, but for the specialist earth scientist and hazard researcher.

Handbook of Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction

Handbook of Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction
Author: Ben Wisner
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 1191
Release: 2012-03-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 113691868X

The Handbook provides a comprehensive statement and reference point for hazard and disaster research, policy making, and practice in an international and multi-disciplinary context. It offers critical reviews and appraisals of current state of the art and future development of conceptual, theoretical and practical approaches as well as empirical knowledge and available tools. Organized into five inter-related sections, this Handbook contains sixty-five contributions from leading scholars. Section one situates hazards and disasters in their broad political, cultural, economic, and environmental context. Section two contains treatments of potentially damaging natural events/phenomena organized by major earth system. Section three critically reviews progress in responding to disasters including warning, relief and recovery. Section four addresses mitigation of potential loss and prevention of disasters under two sub-headings: governance, advocacy and self-help, and communication and participation. Section five ends with a concluding chapter by the editors. The engaging international contributions reflect upon the politics and policy of how we think about and practice applied hazard research and disaster risk reduction. This Handbook provides a wealth of interdisciplinary information and will appeal to students and practitioners interested in Geography, Environment Studies and Development Studies.

The Changing World Religion Map

The Changing World Religion Map
Author: Stanley D. Brunn
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 3858
Release: 2015-02-03
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 940179376X

This extensive work explores the changing world of religions, faiths and practices. It discusses a broad range of issues and phenomena that are related to religion, including nature, ethics, secularization, gender and identity. Broadening the context, it studies the interrelation between religion and other fields, including education, business, economics and law. The book presents a vast array of examples to illustrate the changes that have taken place and have led to a new world map of religions. Beginning with an introduction of the concept of the “changing world religion map”, the book first focuses on nature, ethics and the environment. It examines humankind’s eternal search for the sacred, and discusses the emergence of “green” religion as a theme that cuts across many faiths. Next, the book turns to the theme of the pilgrimage, illustrated by many examples from all parts of the world. In its discussion of the interrelation between religion and education, it looks at the role of missionary movements. It explains the relationship between religion, business, economics and law by means of a discussion of legal and moral frameworks, and the financial and business issues of religious organizations. The next part of the book explores the many “new faces” that are part of the religious landscape and culture of the Global North (Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada) and the Global South (Latin America, Africa and Asia). It does so by looking at specific population movements, diasporas, and the impact of globalization. The volume next turns to secularization as both a phenomenon occurring in the Global religious North, and as an emerging and distinguishing feature in the metropolitan, cosmopolitan and gateway cities and regions in the Global South. The final part of the book explores the changing world of religion in regards to gender and identity issues, the political/religious nexus, and the new worlds associated with the virtual technologies and visual media.

Encyclopedia of Disaster Relief

Encyclopedia of Disaster Relief
Author: K. Bradley Penuel
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 985
Release: 2010-12-29
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1452266395

This encyclopedia covers response to disasters around the world, from governments to NGOs, from charities to politics, from refugees to health, and from economics to international relations, covering issues in both historical and contemporary context. The volumes include information relevant to students of sociology, national security, economics, health sciences, political science, emergency preparedness, history, agriculture, and many other subjects. The goal is to help readers appreciate the importance of the effects, responsibilities, and ethics of disaster relief, and to initiate educational discussion brought forth by the specific cultural, scientific, and topical articles contained within the work. Including 425 signed entries in a two-volume set presented in A-to-Z format, and drawing contributors from varied academic disciplines, this encyclopedia also features a preface by Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton of the 9/11 Commission. This reference resource examines disaster response and relief in a manner that is authoritative yet accessible, jargon-free, and balanced to help readers better understand issues from varied perspectives. Key Themes - Geography - Government and International Agencies - History - Human-induced Disasters - Infrastructure - Local Response - Major Disasters (Relief Case Studies) - Medicine and Psychology - Methods and Practices - Mitigation - Natural Disasters (Overviews) - Politics and Funding - Preparedness - Recovery - Response - Science and Prediction - Sociology - U.S. Geographical Response

The Economics Of Religion

The Economics Of Religion
Author: Robert M Sauer
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 359
Release: 2023-04-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9811273154

Adam Smith, one of the founding fathers of contemporary economics, observed that religiosity is influenced by the extent of regulation in the 'market' for religion. In countries where there is a state-sponsored religion, one can expect less overall religiosity than if the market were competitive and religions had to compete to increase their membership. Religion, he claims, is like other goods and services supplied in a market economy.Max Weber, one of the founding fathers of contemporary sociology, similarly proposed that religiosity and economic principles are strongly interconnected phenomena. Weber famously thought that Protestant religious beliefs about the importance of work, savings and trustworthiness played an important role in sparking the Industrial Revolution and accelerating economic growth in the Western World.This edited volume contains original contributions by eminent scholars in the new and emerging field of the economics of religion. The contributions expand upon the ground-breaking ideas of Adam Smith and Max Weber. The chapters also illuminate new directions for research in this relatively young, intellectually exciting, and rapidly growing multidisciplinary field of scientific inquiry.