Disasters Development and Resilience

Research in this area addresses current and future survivability, with a focus on key themes of hazard, risk reduction, sustainable development and resilience, all of which are oriented to providing an evidence base for forming policy and new practices.

Work in this area focuses on key themes of hazard, risk reduction, sustainable development and resilience oriented to providing an evidence base for forming policy and new practices. The group has been responsible for work in over 25 countries for multiple national and international organisations dating back to 2000.

The approach extends to transdisciplinary approaches that are closely linked to bringing a more people-centred framing of risk, adaptation and disaster management for societal transitioning and transformation. This in particular includes building the knowledge base from projects that increase understanding of vulnerability, sustainability, resilience, energy and health in changing human and physical environmental conditions.

Research of the group includes closely working with the internationally established Disaster and Development Network (DDN). Through research, teaching and learning, the group aims to develop the knowledge and skills to address hazards, disasters and complex emergencies including through its advocacy.

The group has contributed to numerous key policy processes including placing disaster risk reduction within outputs from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, World Health Organisation and other regional, national and global institutional contexts. Project work is also often typically grounded within local community and household level actions.

Further examples include through the hosting of key network and engagement actions such as those of the Gender and Disaster Network over 10 years of its expansion whilst with the Department; and through staff leadership roles within external organisations such as Amnesty International.

Students pursuing postgraduate MSc and Doctoral Research with this group are currently engaged in the establishment of the Disaster and Development Society, with a UN-recognised mission to impact on global survivability through raising the Youth Voice in disaster risk reduction goals.

Action research also focuses around communication and disaster preparedness, community organisation of risk engagement in vulnerable communities; humanitarian aid interventions in conflict affected communities; public safety, environmental health and security.

Project funding has been received from the European Union, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), British Council and UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships amongst other sources.

Disaster Management and Sustainable Development at Northumbria has delivered over 250 MSc and doctoral students into related NGO, state, private and academic sectors. The MSc in Disaster Management and Sustainable Development is updated with the research of this group.