**Sociology of Disaster Syllabus**

**Dr. Fischer**

**Email: hfischer@marauder.millersv.edu**

**Office: Luzerne 202**

**Phone: 717-872-3568**

**FAX: 717-871-2429**

**Regardless of your major or what career path you follow after
completing your degree, you WILL be able to count on one thing:
environmental hazards and disasters will unfortunately be your constant
companions. As the world's population, as well as that of the United
States, continues to increase, continues to inhabit areas prone to
disaster, and continues to develop technologies which produce hazardous
environments, each of us is a potential victim. Most of us tend to
believe that disasters are something that OTHERS will experience\--but
"not me!" Unfortunately, disasters are increasingly common and we are
often ill prepared\--as individuals, as a community, as a nation. By
completing a course in "The Sociology of Disaster" you should be better
prepared to function as an effective member of your community to enhance
the chances of improving preparedness, mitigation, and response to
possible natural or technological hazards.**

**What will we study in this course? The semester curriculum will
include an examination of what constitutes a disaster, various types of
disasters and hazards, how communities and individuals typically prepare
(or don't prepare) for them, how survivors often respond, how their
response patterns often differ from that which is commonly perceived to
occur, the media's role, organizational response patterns, and the role
of planning and mitigation. We will examine actual disaster events and
contemporary research; we will have guest speakers sharing their
expertise; we will also meet the major disaster researchers via
internet. Each student will apply what is learned in the course to
producing a project.**

**I love the sociology of disaster. Behavioral and organizational
response to disaster is my primary research interest. I have been
studying these phenomena for approximately 12 years, have published
several articles and a book on this topic, and look forward to sharing
it with you this semester. I anticipate having fun together while
applying sociology to a contemporary concern that affects each of us.
What you learn here may help your community and may save lives. Let's
get started...**

**BOOKS REQUIRED:**

**1. Fischer, Henry W. 1994. Response to Disaster: Fact Versus & Its
Perpetuation. Landam, Maryland: University Press of America.**

**2. Erickson, Kai. 1976. Everything in Its Path. NY:Simon/Schuster.**

**3. Nelson, Carl. 1991. Protecting the Past From Natural Disasters. New
York: John Wiley.**

**ALSO REQUIRED:**

**Internet Access, e.g., student Marauder account.**

**COURSE ACTIVITIES:**

**Research Center Web Page Investigation**

**Mentor Experience**

**Case Study Analyses**

**Journal Investigations**

**Course Outline**

**Introduction**

**Course Orientation**

**Why Study Disasters?**

**How I Became Involved**

**What is a Disaster?**

**Frequency of Disaster Events**

**Types of Disasters\--Overview**

**The Life Cycle of a Disaster**

**History of Disaster Research**

**Student Mentor Experience With a Disaster Researcher**

**via Internet & Surveying Web Sites of Research Centers**

**Disaster Agents & Types of Hazards**

**Natural Hazards\--Dynamics of the Various Agents**

**Earthquake Speaker**

**Hurricane Speaker**

**Technological Hazards Speaker**

**What is Your Hometown like? Case Study Application**

**Behavioral Response to Disasters**

**The Sociological Perspective\--Basics**

**The Public Perception of the Behavioral Response to Disaster**

**Disaster Mythology Versus Reality**

**Case Studies**

**Disaster Research: Speaker**

**The Media's Role**

**Mass Media as a Primary Information Source**

**Media Reporting Patterns: Normal vs. Disaster Time**

**Case Studies**

**Ideal Role of the Media**

**Film Analysis, e.g., China Syndrome, Twister, Outbreak**

**Speaker: News Reporter**

**Organizational Response to Disaster**

**Levels of Emergency Management**

**Public Perception of preparedness, Response & Mitigation**

**Actual Organizational Response Patterns**

**Common Problems in Warning, Response, & Mitigation**

**Case Studies**

**LEMA, PEMA, FEMA Speaker(s)**

**Disaster Planning, Mitigation & Recovery**

**Long-Term Disaster Impact: Individuals, Families, Communities**

**Types of Emergency Management Activity**

**Window of Opportunity to Increase Preparedness & Mitigation**

**Elements of an Effective Plan**