Background

Catastrophic events, such as war, pandemics, natural disasters, genocide, terrorism, and famine-as well as the discourses about them-appear to multiply and merge globally on a daily basis.

Catastrophes exact grave tolls to families, communities and societies. They present a complex array of experiences and outcomes that emanate from events of mass violence, deprivation, displacement and disease that are associated with long-term social instability. The variety of responses to such tragic events that exist in assortments of services, policies and practices are too often fragmented, short-term, and not supportive of local communities and cultures.

Catastrophes are usually approached within one sector, or from the perspective of a single discipline. There is little to no knowledge that attempts to understand the processes of vulnerability and resilience at the levels of families, communities, cultures, systems, and societies. Research into these experiences requires innovative perspectives that regards them as part of broader public health, social, cultural and political crises that must be better comprehended as a basis for governments and other organizations to develop and implement more effective helping efforts.

Moreover, recognizing that catastrophes are discursively or idelogically imagined, defined and even produced is critical. That is, catastrophe is not just a real event; it is also a conceptual category that both limits and enables perceptions and interventions.