There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster

There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster is the first comprehensive critical book on the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans. The disaster will go down on record as one of the worst in American history, not least because of the government’s inept and cavalier response. But it is also a huge story for other reasons; the impact of the hurricane was uneven, and race and class were deeply implicated in the unevenness.Hartman and. Squires assemble two dozen critical scholars and activists who present a multifaceted portrait of the social implications of the disaster. The book covers the response to the disaster and the roles that race and class played, its impact on housing and redevelopment, the historical context of urban disasters in America and the future of economic development in the region. It offers strategic guidance for key actors - government agencies, financial institutions, neighbourhood organizations - in efforts to rebuild shattered communities.

"Chester Hartman and Greg Squires should be commended for editing such a comprehensive,elegant collection of Hurricane Katrina related essays showcasing a top-flight cast of distinguishedscholars. There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster is a giant leap forward in our collectiveunderstanding of what went wrong in the Gulf South on August 29, 2005."--Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans,and the Mississippi Gulf Coast"There is No Such Thing As a Natural Disaster: The title tells you where this book is going, andthen the book takes you there. Of all the work on Katrina and on the suffering and courage of thepeople of New Orleans, this collection is by far the most informative, the most analytical, the mostradical, and the most useful. Combining detailed information from New Orleans with thoughtful andpractical analysis, Hartman and Squires have produced a casebook on structural racism and amanifesto for radical change. A must for classroom adoption!"--Howard Winant, author of The World is a Ghetto: Race and Democracy since World War II"Hurricane Katrina was a social disaster, and its catastrophic impact owes as much to entrenchedinequality and political neglect as to nature's wrath. This fine collection documents the racial,economic, and gender divisions that make extreme weather so much more dangerous than it shouldbe, and shows what's wrong with the current plans for rebuilding New Orleans and other devastatedcities nearby. It's a timely, engaging, and immediately useful book."--Eric Klinenberg, author of Heatwave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago"Taken together, these well-written essays highlight the immensity and complexity of the disaster and the challenges that lie ahead for the region. Highly recommended." -- M. Mulcahy, Loyola College in Maryland, Choice, "There is No Such Thing As a Natural Disaster takes a comprehensive and critical look at the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina." – Shelterforce"This book covers the roles that race and class played in the response to Hurricane Katrina, the storm's impact on housing and redevelopment, the historical context of urban disasters in America, and the future of economic development in the New Orleans region. The authors assemble two dozen critical scholars and activists who present a multifaceted portrait of the implications of the disaster. The book also offers strategic guidance for key actors in efforts to rebuild shattered communities, including government agencies, financial institutions, and neighborhood organizations." – Natural Hazards Observer, July 2007"Chester Hartman and Greg Squires should be commended for editing such a comprehensive, elegant collection of Hurricane Karina related essays showcasing a top-flight cast of distinguished scholars. There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster is a giant leap forward in our collective understanding of what went wrong in the Gulf South on August 29, 2005." – Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Chester Hartman, an urban planner and author, is Director of Research of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council in Washington, DC.Gary Squires is Professor and Chair of the Sociology Department at George Washington University.