Towards a Sociology of Vulnerability

Abstract

As we have illustrated in Chapter 1, the recent development in disaster studies and the growth of vulnerability science have contributed to the growing interest in the notion of vulnerability within the social sciences generally The impact of the hazard literature has been particularly visible in American sociology where the notion of vulnerability is mainly seen to accord with the definition provided in disaster studies or referenced to catastrophic events. Taking into account both natural disasters, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and shock events, such as the 11 September attack, the 2008 economic crisis and the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, this is not a surprising development. However, all these events made Americans realize not only that they ‘were no longer invulnerable’ (Mack 2004: v), that ‘US boundaries were breached, that an unbearable vulnerability was exposed’ (Butler 2004: xi), but also that references to vulnerability are used to give legitimacy to government actions. A new narrative of vulnerability, calling for ‘swift and decisive action’, very quickly became ‘the justification for so much that our government has done since in the name of protecting us’ (Mack 2004: v).