"There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class, and Hurricane Katrina spells out how and why natural events like Hurricane Katrina become social catastrophes. While the storm itself was devastating, it was the deeper forces of structural racism and social inequality that caused the poor and people of color to suffer disproportionately. Chester Hartman and Gregory D. Squires have gathered over a dozen scholars and policy activists to put forth a multifaceted and critical portrait of the social implications of the disaster. Stressing the central role of race and class throughout, the book covers the historical context of disasters in urban America, post-Katrina housing policy, education policy, urban planning, politics, and the future of economic development in New Orleans." (back cover)
(Vairo Library HV636 2005.L8T44 2006)