CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Kurian, Ann Varghese |
|---|---|
| Title | Community Knowledge And Disaster Management:Mapping Readiness And Gaps In Landslide Preparedness In Wayanad, Kerala |
| Summary | India’s diverse geography and climate render many of its states, particularly coastal and hilly ones, vulnerable to recuring floods and landslide. Despite the risk, many communities continue to live in such areas due to poverty, limited resources and a lack of viable relocation options. This study explores the complex socio-economic, cultural and policy dimensions of disaster management, with a focus on landslides in Wayanad, Kerala. It looks at synergies between community-based disaster risk management, traditional knowledge systems and government-led disaster planning at the local level. The research also aims to identify the strengths and gaps in landslide preparedness and mitigation efforts in Wayanad by considering its unique circumstances and coping strategies. One of the key findings highlights the challenges of integrating effective disaster preparedness and mitigation practices due to the diversity within Wayanad’s local communities. The general population, tribal communities and migrant plantation workers are socially distinct groups that do not necessarily function as a cohesive unit, contrary to assumptions of community unity. This fragmentation is further deepened by top-down disaster protocols implemented by the district authorities, which fail to bring these different groups together to integrate their knowledge and experiences into disaster planning. By looking at communities’ perception of risk, socio-economic barriers, local practices and the role of government agencies, the study endeavors to generate insights that can potentially inform inclusive, context-sensitive disaster preparedness policies for vulnerable communities. |
| Supervisor | Corduneanu-Huci, Cristina |
| Department | Public Policy MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/kurian_ann.pdf |
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