Societal Response to Disasters

Original case-studies span extreme weather events, nuclear and other industrial accidents, stampedes and mass gatherings, and the pandemic. Students will study how decisions are made (or fail) during crises and critically examine current frameworks for disaster planning priorities and action. Drawing on field-experiences and research conducted by Harvard faculty, this course is also a primer for disaster impact ascertainment, employing community-based survey tools with novel and emerging data streams.