Disasters and Security Forum

Theoretical arguments for a re-envisioning of security got unexpected support after the December 26th 2004 tsunami and the October 8th 2005 Kashmir earthquake.

All considerations of state security, sacrosanct interstate frontiers, autonomous decision-making or complete self-reliance were washed away or ground into powder in the span of a few minutes. Shock and sympathy for the victims knew no borders as news flashed instantaneously across the world and donations poured in from citizens in its every corner. The traumatic events created opportunities for setting aside old frameworks, within which we regarded reconstruction and development and long-standing hostilities within and between states. As such, it could be argued that beyond the physical devastation they caused, they also caused fundamental changes along many parameters in the affected societies.

The WISCOMP forum in Chennai, India, in September 2006, organized in collaboration with Chaitanya – The Policy Consultancy, had the following objectives:

1.  To take stock of the range and variety of initiatives taken and lessons learnt in the aftermath of the two disasters.

2.   To identify the theoretical areas where these initiatives and lessons must force a change.

3.   To capture and anticipate new themes and trends in human security scholarship.

The scope of the workshop included the following issues:

1. Gender and disasters

2. Displacement and disasters

3. State, civil society and disasters

4. Disasters as opportunities for political change:

   1. “Disaster diplomacy”

   2. Resolution, reconstruction and peace-building of civil conflicts

For a detailed report, click here.

home | FUR | about us | programs | our publications | partners in peace | links | contact us   
Email us: wiscomp2006@gmail.com

© Copyright 2004 Women in Security Conflict Management and Peace
All rights reserved.

Site Designed by TINATOONS