Sensing Disaster: Local Knowledge and Vulnerability in Oceania

Format: Hardback
Length: 292 pages
Publication date: 07 March 2023
Publisher: University of California Press

In 2007, a devastating three-story-high tsunami struck the small island of Simbo in the western Solomon Islands, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos in its wake. Drawing on over ten years of extensive research, Matthew Lauer offers a vivid and intimate account of this calamitous event and the challenging recovery process that followed. His stimulating analysis explores the intricate web of factors that shaped the disaster's outcomes, including colonization, capitalism, human-animal communication, spirit beings, ancestral territory, and technoscientific expertise.

Despite the Simbo people having never experienced a tsunami before, nearly everyone managed to flee to safety before the destructive waves hit. Lauer argues that to fully understand their remarkable response, we need to reexamine popular and scholarly portrayals of Indigenous knowledge and challenge the notion of epistemic imperialism. By doing so, we can improve disaster preparedness strategies and enhance our understanding of the causes and consequences of calamity, as well as the unintended effects of humanitarian recovery and mitigation efforts.

In the context of an increasingly disaster-prone era characterized by ecological crises, this provocative book offers fresh perspectives on understanding the origins and consequences of disasters, the unintended consequences of humanitarian interventions, and the nature of local knowledge. It sheds light on the complex interplay between power, knowledge, and culture and challenges us to rethink our approaches to disaster management and recovery.

Through his meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Matthew Lauer has provided a valuable contribution to the field of disaster studies. His book offers a timely reminder of the importance of recognizing and respecting Indigenous knowledge systems and the critical role they play in disaster preparedness and response. It is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of disaster and the potential for positive change in the face of adversity.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 235 x 158 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520392052