The term natural disaster is often used to refer to natural events such as earthquakes, hurricanes or floods. However, the phrase natural disaster suggests an uncritical acceptance of a deeply engrained ideological and cultural myth. At Risk questions this myth and argues that extreme natural events are not disasters until a vulnerable group of people is exposed. The book focuses on what makes people vulnerable. Often this means analysing the links between poverty and vulnerability. However it is also important to take account of different social groups that suffer more in extreme events,...

Distils complex issues surrounding Africa at the beginning of the 21st century. This book provides a 'map' for the reader to navigate between issues such as urban and rural livelihoods, the potential of fresh water fishing, health, the HIV/AIDS crisis, conflict and efforts at peacemaking.

Provides a wide ranging review of the major successes and failures of development policy in Africa as the continent enters the 21st Century. The world's leading experts in African development issues combat the relentlessly negative public image of Africa. Coincides with a host of government initiatives to boost awareness of African development issues such as Commission for Africa and NEPAD This ground-breaking book with a foreword by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and UN human rights commissioner, uniquely distils the complex issues surrounding Africa as it enters the 21st...

This title is packed with original research and offers an innovative way of thinking about the reduction of risk in rapidly urbanizing cities across the globe. It is ideal for professional, researchers and policy makers.

Published with ProVention Consortium, UNDP and UN-Habitat 'This excellent book is essential reading for those concerned with urban risk and its reduction in Africa, the most rapidly urbanizing region of the world.' Professor Jo Beall, Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics 'At last a book that recognizes the impacts of disasters on Africa's 350 million urban dwellers, including the many disasters that get overlooked and go unrecorded. But also a book that, through careful case studies, shows what creates disaster risk and what local measures can be taken to address it.'...