Human security: an analytical tool for disaster perception research

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the possible benefits arising from the application of the human security concept to analysing the disaster impacts.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-piece human security analytical tool is synthesized by combining the discoveries in human security studies over the last two decades with the perspective of disaster studies focusing on the resilience and securitabilities of the affected societies. To illustrate the merit of the proposed analytical framework a specifically tailored social survey is used to measure the resilience of Ogre’s (Latvia) society after it faces major floods in 2013. It foresees that community’s resilience is inversely proportional to the decreases along seven human security dimensions while directly proportional to the trust to different security providers.

Findings

The illustrative case study proves a larger deterioration of security and a wider scope of “socially affected” victims than could be identified with the field observations or document analysis. It also proves that the people in crisis situations clearly trust to themselves, friends and family, while much less to the conventional security providers or the local municipality or government. While the security is to be perceived more multi-faceted than homogenous, the results prove that the environmental and food security concerns due to the hazard climbed the fear rankings replacing the usually feared health security.

Originality/value

The paper provides several counterarguments to the critics of Human Security concept by proving its comprehensive application to any society despite its level of development, while also offering a new analytical approach to measure the security and resilience of people facing a sudden dangerous external impact, such as a natural hazard.

Citation

Bambals, R. (2015), "Human security: an analytical tool for disaster perception research", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 150-165. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-06-2014-0106