Disasters and the built environment: Understanding the potential and pitfalls of urban planning in post-disaster recovery
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-19-2020
Abstract
Place attachment, or the affective bond between people and place (Altman & Low, Place attachment. Springer, New York, 1992), is a significant component of individual and community health and well-being (Marshall & Bishop, The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social and Community Studies 9:1-10, 2015). Place loss that comes in the wake of a disaster can be traumatizing, grief-inducing, and identity-threatening, due to the sudden and often violent nature of disasters. In this chapter, we investigate the concept of place attachment and the trauma of place loss as well as the crucial role of urban planning in the post-disaster rebuilding and recovery of place and the restoration of individual and community well-being. We examine the transformative potential of planning to strengthen individual and community capacity to overcome loss and recover from disasters and the key challenges planners face in the post-disaster planning process. Foremost among these challenges is the development and implementation of a meaningful public engagement process. We conclude with a brief discussion on how to rebuild after disaster to expand opportunities and restore well-being for all residents of disaster-impacted communities.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
The Intersection of Trauma and Disaster Behavioral Health
First Page
233
Last Page
246
Recommended Citation
Birch, T., Henry, I., & Nelson, M. (2020). Disasters and the built environment: Understanding the potential and pitfalls of urban planning in post-disaster recovery. The Intersection of Trauma and Disaster Behavioral Health, 233-246. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51525-6_14