The 1998 Floods And Beyond

Contributed articles.

We find Roma settlements on the outskirts of villages, separated from the majority population by roads, railways or other barriers, disconnected from water pipelines and sewage treatment. Why are some people (or groups) better off than others when it comes to the distribution of environmental benefits? In order to understand the present situation and identify ways to address the impacts of these inequalities we must understand the past and mechanisms related to the differentiated treatment. The situation and discrimination of the Roma ethnic minority in Slovakia is examined from the perspective of environmental conditions and injustice. There is no simple answer as to why there is environmental injustice. Environmental conditions in Roma settlements are just one of the indicators of failures of policies addressing the problem of poverty and social exclusion in marginalized groups, structural discrimination, and internal Roma problems. Environmental injustice is not an outcome of the "historical determination" of the Roma population to live in environmentally problematic places.

A prolific author and thinker, Stanley J. Grenz was a respected and influential figure, not only within evangelicalism but in the wider theological world. Amongst the many issues tackled by him it is perhaps his revisioning of evangelical theology in the light of the postmodern challenge that has caused the biggest stir in the theological world. Advocating a nonfoundationalist methodology, Grenz attempts to re-position evangelical theology in line with postmodern concerns. This work examines the main traits of postmodern thought that would seem to directly challenge how evangelical theology is traditionally done. An examination of the seminal influences on Grenz will be traced in order to understand more fully the position he takes. A rigorous critique and assessment of his theological methodology will follow with the conclusion that his work goes beyond evangelicalism. This will be the first book length treatment on Grenz's work on theological methodology and therefore will break new ground in this important area of study.

This volume examines lessons learned in reducing the impact of disasters on communities in China, Japan and other countries world-wide. Asia is the most disaster-prone continent. The 2012 data on natural disasters in 28 Asian countries, released by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Belgian-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters on December 11th, 2012 showed that, from 1950 to 2011, nine out of ten people affected by disasters globally were in Asia; that of the top five disasters that created the most damage in 2012, three were in China; that China led the list of most disasters in 2012; and, that China was the only “multi-hazard”-prone country. Similarly, the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake was the greatest known earthquake ever to have hit Japan and one of the five strongest ever recorded earthquakes in the world since 1900. Subsequently, the Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters at the University of Massachusetts Boston organized a conference in November 2012 to survey the best practices in post-disaster rebuilding efforts in China and Japan. This edited book consists of selected papers from the proceedings of that event and previously invited contributions from leading scholars in post-disaster rebuilding in China, Japan and Namibia.

Providing shelter after a disaster is recognised as one of the most complex areas of humanitarian relief and recovery. Some aid agencies have stopped providing shelter altogether after bad experiences, while those that do quickly become engaged in challenges that go far beyond the provision of structures alone. Yet with the number and severity of disasters set to increase, due to climate change and rapid urban growth, the need for approaches that work has never been greater. This book explores the issues in three parts. The first, Practice, looks at lessons from past efforts. Part two, Process, proposes practical and effective people-centred approaches. Part three considers currently neglected issues such as disability, human rights and urban-oriented approaches. Through practical case studies and academic research, Beyond Shelter after Disaster critiques past methods and explores future options for improving practice in one of the most complex areas of post disaster relief and recovery. This book was originally published as a special issue in Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions.

In 1998,"the flood of the century" covered more than two-thirds of Bangladesh, causing crop losses of 2.04 million tons of rice, an amount equal to 10.45 percent of target production in 1998/99. This flood threatened the health and lives of millions through food shortages caused by crop failure, loss of purchasing power, and the spread of water-borne disease. Yet very few flood-related deaths occurred, and reportedly none was due to food shortages. This report, based on data from a survey of 757 rural households in seven flood-affected regions (thanas) conducted in November and December 1998 and on analysis of secondary data on food grain markets, describes how Government of Bangladesh policy, well-functioning private markets, household coping strategies, and donor and NGO interventions combined to avert a major food crisis. To further enhance its food security, Bangladesh needs continued investments in agricultural research, extension, roads, electricity and other rural infrastructure, policies promoting efficient markets, and programs to provide targeted transfers and credit to poor households.

This interdisciplinary book explores the science and spirituality nexus in the Pacific Islands Region and as such makes a critical contribution to sustainable climate change adaptation in Oceania. In addition to presenting case studies, literary analyses, field projects, and empirical research, the book describes faith-engaged approaches through the prism of: • Context: past, present, and future prospects• Theory: concepts, narratives, and theoretical frameworks• Practice: empirical research and praxis-informed case examples• Doctrine: scriptural contributions and perspectives• Engagement: enlisting religious stakeholders and constituencies Comprising peer-reviewed works by scholars, professionals, and practitioners from across Oceania, the book closes a critical gap in the literature and represents a groundbreaking contribution to holistic climate change adaptation in the Pacific Islands Region that is scientifically sound, spiritually attuned, locally meaningful, and contextually compelling.

This book conceptualises the ongoing hydropower expansion in Southwest China as a socio-political and transnational project transcending the construction of dams. Chapters in this volume are organised around three sections spanning hydropower and resettlement governance, rural livelihoods, and international relations connected to China’s hydropower expansion. Dam projects of various scales are analysed as infrastructure projects that shape peoples’ livelihoods, the environment, and China’s relations with Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.