Encyclopedia of Technological Hazards and Disasters in the Social Sciences

The Encyclopedia of Technological Hazards and Disasters in the Social Sciences brings together an array of global experts to investigate, explore and analyse human-caused disaster events. Providing insights into both the origins and aftermaths of disaster events, it offers advanced understanding of a broad range of disaster events facing society during the Anthropocene.

Entries cover both well and lesser-known nuclear accidents, oil spills and industrial incidents such as the Three Mile Island accident, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, BP Deepwater Horizon spill and the Bhopal accident. The contributors present concepts and theories that elucidate why these disastrous events happen, the effects they have on communities, and how we can better prevent them. Entries also examine the current state of the art in hazards and disaster research, providing suggestions for future research topics and issues to explore. The Encyclopedia interrogates the social, historical, economic, cultural, and political forces that culminate in disaster, offering a unique multidisciplinary approach which will further advance the field of hazards and disaster research.

This comprehensive Encyclopedia is a vital resource for students and scholars of environmental sociology, geography, regulation and governance, and science and technology studies. It will also appeal to legal practitioners and policy makers involved in the prevention and investigation of technological disasters.

Key Features:

• Over 110 wide-ranging entries, organised alphabetically for accessibility and ease of navigation.
• Reviews methodological and ethical approaches affecting research in this fast-developing area.
• Includes key relevant references for further reading, supporting conceptual, theoretical, and analytical arguments.
• Presents decades of social science research on relevant theories, concepts, and human-caused hazard and disaster events.