Organising Post-Disaster Reconstruction Processes: Housing Reconstruction after the Bam Earthquake

Book launch of Organising Post-Disaster Reconstruction Processes: Housing Reconstruction after the Bam Earthquake By Fatemeh Farnaz Arefian

Through a synthesis of a broader inter-disciplinary literature in the field of disaster studies, organisation theory and management, and an in-depth case study this book provides an analytical framework for organising post-disaster reconstruction programmes which aim to reduce future disaster risks and achieve other objectives.  It explores the role of organisational design and management on approaching and achieving the objectives of the reconstruction programme in Iran after the 2003 Bam earthquake.

The housing reconstruction programme in Bam was a complex case, offering various learning opportunities to understand organising reconstruction processes especially in urban areas. The case study research explores how the urban housing reconstruction programme system was formed purposefully towards the delivery of the stated objectives and created an innovative housing process throughout the urban area. It identifies consistencies and inconsistencies among the influential organisational attributes of the programme delivery system formation. The system evolved through corrective adjustments (either formally or informally) during its implementation to reflect unfolding consequences of inconsistencies in initial formation and emerging contextual issues in the field.

Speakers:

John Twigg
Principal Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute, ODI

Cassidy Johnson
Senior Lecturer, The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL

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Bios:

Dr John Twigg
Principal Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute, ODI
John joined ODI in October 2016 as Senior Research Fellow in the Risk and Resilience programme, following more than 25 years working on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and international development as an academic researcher, independent consultant and in the NGO sector.
John has worked on many aspects of DRR, mostly on socio-economic vulnerability, community resilience, vulnerability/risk assessment methodologies, policy and institutional aspects of disaster management, and project planning and evaluation.  The application of academic research to improve operational practice is a particular interest and much of John’s research output has been aimed at guiding practitioners.

Dr Cassidy Johnson
Senior Lecturer
The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL
Cassidy is Senior Lecturer at the Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL, where she researches and teaches about disaster risk, post-disaster recovery and climate change adaptation. Her academic interests are linked by a commitment to improve the quality of life and livelihoods of low-income groups living in urban areas. Her research contributes to the area of disaster risk reduction and recovery and to the role of local governments and civil society in this – and to integrating an understanding of disaster-risk into development. This has encompassed issues of urban planning, housing quality, building code regulations, informal settlements (and upgrading) and evictions. Her work engages internationally with policy makers as well as with local communities and she has worked in more than ten countries across Asia and Africa.