"Voy a exterminar al hombre de la faz de la tierra"

Notas sobre la idea de desastre

Abstract

For a long time, disasters caused by natural phenomena were assumed to be produced by the wishes of superior beings or by the impact of the forces of nature. In recent decades it has been proposed that damage caused during disasters is the result of society's vulnerability - in other words, of its economic, institutional, and social characteristics. This article also analyzes cultural issues that have an impact on society's level of vulnerability.