NDLI: How do “numbers” construct social reality in disaster-stricken areas?: a case of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Kondo, Seiji Yamori, Katsuya Atsumi, Tomohide Suzuki, Isamu
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	This article focuses on the dynamics of using numbers to construct an image of social reality in disaster areas. Numbers are neither objective nor value-neutral but are rather generated, transmitted and shared with social signification. In other words, numbers can be thought of as simply socially constructed information. Statistics and other numbers usually work in positive ways. However, it is also possible that using numbers in the media can lead to unintended messages that could produce negative consequences. We conducted field studies in disaster-stricken areas of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China and compared findings to the case of the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan in order to examine how numbers—in terms of the amount of donations, the timeline of reconstruction projects and casualty figures—construct social reality and cause a variety of social dysfunctions.
Starting Page	71
Ending Page	81
Page Count	11
File Format	PDF
ISSN	0921030X
Journal	Natural Hazards
Volume Number	62
Issue Number	1
e-ISSN	15730840
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2011-11-30
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Social reality Reality-stakeholder Social dysfunction Number Earthquake Disaster reporting Natural Hazards Environmental Management Civil Engineering Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences Hydrogeology Geophysics/Geodesy
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Atmospheric Science Water Science and Technology

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Comparison of two large earthquakes in China: the 2008 Sichuan Wenchuan Earthquake and the 2013 Sichuan Lushan Earthquake

The Wenchuan Earthquake (May 12, 2008), Sichuan Province, China, and resulting geohazards

Preliminary investigation of some large landslides triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan Province, China

What constrained disaster management capacity in the township level of China? Case studies of Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes

Field-observed phenomena of seismic liquefaction and subsidence during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

Analysis of an anti-dip landslide triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

Landslide hazards triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan, China

The emerging vulnerable population of the urbanisation resulting from post-disaster recovery of the Wenchuan earthquake

The role of gender and age in fracture distribution following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

How do “numbers” construct social reality in disaster-stricken areas?: a case of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China

Similar Documents

Comparison of two large earthquakes in China: the 2008 Sichuan Wenchuan Earthquake and the 2013 Sichuan Lushan Earthquake

The Wenchuan Earthquake (May 12, 2008), Sichuan Province, China, and resulting geohazards

Preliminary investigation of some large landslides triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan Province, China

What constrained disaster management capacity in the township level of China? Case studies of Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes

Field-observed phenomena of seismic liquefaction and subsidence during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

Analysis of an anti-dip landslide triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

Landslide hazards triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan, China

The emerging vulnerable population of the urbanisation resulting from post-disaster recovery of the Wenchuan earthquake

The role of gender and age in fracture distribution following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

How do “numbers” construct social reality in disaster-stricken areas?: a case of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China