Social resilience of post-earthquake Bam

This thesis investigates the root causes of the social vulnerability of Bam and examines the role played by the evolution of institutions in the post-earthquake reconstruction period in shaping resilience. Through studying the reconstruction process of Bam for six years (from 2004 to 2010) the research explains the dynamics of institutional interactions of different agents and organizations involved in the reconstruction. A synthesis of literature on vulnerability and resilience enables the thesis to position post-disaster reconstruction as an opportunity to alter those institutional factors that had generated vulnerability, and to move the trajectory of institutional evolution towards a more resilient society. In particular the thesis focuses on the role played by the formation and character of social capital and its transformation or stability from pre- to post-disaster contexts. -- The Bam earthquake occurred at an important political juncture in Iranian history allowing this kind of analysis on institutional structures which have since retreated. Following the earthquake of 2003 in Bam the central government of Iran immediately created a group of professionals and administrative officials to design the relief and reconstruction programme. One of the main stated objectives of the designed plan was to involve people in the reconstruction process. In practice, however, people became marginalized from key decision-making fora. The absence of local people’s voices in the design of the reconstruction plan increased the vulnerability of some groups like renters and widows. Further, the approach negatively affected the Bamis’ sense of belonging exacerbated through different factors like influx of workers from all over the country to do labour work, or the damage to palm trees (a cultural touchstone in Bam and economically important resource) during the reconstruction process.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

King's College London

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Meskinazarian, Ahoura

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Pelling, Mark Adam
• Mustafa, Daanish

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/f02f6d46-5646-4634-9f9a-45a7cedb62bf

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/f02f6d46-5646-4634-9f9a-45a7cedb62bf