Overview

Rarely does a month go by without news reports of a major natural catastrophe in the United States and in the rest of the world. Whether faced with Hurricane Irma's and Maria's devastation in Puerto Rico in 2017, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, wild fires, earthquakes, volcanoes, or global warming, citizens often judge leaders by their effectiveness in preparing for and responding to such disasters. Through the use of carefully-edited original sources beginning with Biblical and classical times and continuing through contemporary American history, this book places these disasters in context. It includes readings from congressional laws, presidential addresses and orders, and judicial decisions as well as relevant charters from disaster relief agencies. The editor provides a general introduction to the topic and a timeline and prefaces each reading with an introduction. xxxiii, 359 pp. Published by Talbot Publishing, an imprint of The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

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9781616195809

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Vile has put together a diverse collection of primary sources that chronicle the changing role of federal government in disaster response. Most importantly, through his selections Vile illustrates how cultural, political, and economic context shape disaster response and recovery. How individuals make sense of natural disaster - is it an act of God? - requires understanding culture. Political philosophy and ideas matter for legislation. Vile challenges students and scholars within disaster research to embrace an interdisciplinary approach. Laura Grube, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Economics, Beloit College This new volume by John R. Vile includes not just the primary sources on government responses to disasters in with U.S., but also the philosophical, historical, and constitutional foundations needed to contextualize and analyze the evolution of governmental response over time. It is an incredibly thorough and useful text for students and scholars of natural disasters. Stefanie Haeffele, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and co-author of Community Revival in the Wake of Disasters: Lessons in Local Entrepreneurship (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) Natural disasters have always threatened human existence. Many of history's greatest thinkers and leaders have weighed in on disasters. Governmental Responses assembles the words and wisdom in one accessible volume, allowing citizens, politicians, and academics to draw on these insights and recognize the enduring elements of today's challenges. Dr. Daniel Sutter, Professor of Economics, Troy University

"""Vile has put together a diverse collection of primary sources that chronicle the changing role of federal government in disaster response. Most importantly, through his selections Vile illustrates how cultural, political, and economic context shape disaster response and recovery. How individuals make sense of natural disaster - is it an act of God? - requires understanding culture. Political philosophy and ideas matter for legislation. Vile challenges students and scholars within disaster research to embrace an interdisciplinary approach."" Laura Grube, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Economics, Beloit College ""This new volume by John R. Vile includes not just the primary sources on government responses to disasters in with U.S., but also the philosophical, historical, and constitutional foundations needed to contextualize and analyze the evolution of governmental response over time. It is an incredibly thorough and useful text for students and scholars of natural disasters."" Stefanie Haeffele, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and co-author of Community Revival in the Wake of Disasters: Lessons in Local Entrepreneurship (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) ""Natural disasters have always threatened human existence. Many of history's greatest thinkers and leaders have weighed in on disasters. Governmental Responses assembles the words and wisdom in one accessible volume, allowing citizens, politicians, and academics to draw on these insights and recognize the enduring elements of today's challenges."" Dr. Daniel Sutter, Professor of Economics, Troy University"

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