Disaster Policy and Politics

Catalog description

The course examines cases of historical disasters in the United States moving from the late 19th century through present day -- including Yellow Fever, Polio, Hurricane Katrina, and the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill -- to understand the policy processes and political influences on policy outcomes for disaster responses and how they have changed over time. As the effects of climate change increase, understanding policy responses to disasters, how political incentives may change and alter policy responses, and how to improve equity and efficacy in disaster responses becomes increasingly important. This course helps students explain the influence of politics on disaster response policy (laws, regulations), implementation (of policy), and resilience.