Open AccessCalifornia Earthquakes: Science, Risks, and the Politics of Hazard Mitigation
Author(s) -
Shedlock Kaye M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2002eo000029
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , hazard , state (computer science) , politics , emergency response , emergency management , public administration , political science , business , environmental planning , public relations , law , environmental science , computer science , medicine , philosophy , linguistics , chemistry , organic chemistry , algorithm , medical emergency
“Politics” should be the lead word in the sub‐title of this engrossing study of the emergence and growth of the California and federal earthquake hazard reduction infrastructures. Beginning primarily with the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, scientists, engineers, and other professionals cooperated and clashed with state and federal officials, the business community, “ boosters,” and the general public to create programs, agencies, and commissions to support earthquake research and hazards mitigation. Moreover, they created a “regulatory‐state” apparatus that governs human behavior without sustained public support for its creation. The public readily accepts that earthquake research and mitigation are government responsibilities. The government employs or funds the scientists, engineers, emergency response personnel, safety officials, building inspectors, and others who are instrumental in reducing earthquake hazards. This book clearly illustrates how, and why all of this came to pass.