Disaster Studies, Policy, and Planning

3 credits · Graduate

Disaster studies is an interdisciplinary study of hazards and disasters, with emphasis on the intersections of natural phenomena against human actions and social structures. This course offers an introduction to this discourse, particularly as relevant to planning, policy, and the design professions. As such, the course focuses not just on introducing the nearly 80 years of disaster studies scholarship, but also examines how it influences disaster policy and hazards planning. Through the course, students will gain an understanding of how hazard mitigation is increasingly a critical part of the spatial professions, while gaining tools to address these growing concerns.