Law Among the Ruins

LAW AND RECOVERY FROM DISASTER: HURRICANE KATRINA, Robin Paul Malloy, ed., Vol. 2, 2008

University of Louisville School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper Series

5 Pages Posted: 30 May 2008

See all articles by James Ming Chen

James Ming Chen

Michigan State University - College of Law

Date Written: June 1, 2008

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina broke America's collective heart. No previous natural disaster in the nation's history inflicted a grimmer toll. The legendary city of New Orleans all but sank when its levees failed and the resulting storm surge drowned much of the city and many of its feeblest, most vulnerable residents. Katrina exposed flaws in virtually every aspect of disaster management at every level of American government. The magnitude and senselessness of the loss indicted American society for its callous disregard of social vulnerability. There is no such thing as a natural disaster. Understanding the interplay of environmental events with social conditions holds the key to the optimal application of legal tools for preventing, mitigating, and remedying natural tragedies - the grand social exercise called law among the ruins.

Keywords: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, natural disasters, disaster management, environmental law

JEL Classification: K00, K32

Suggested Citation

Chen, James Ming, Law Among the Ruins (June 1, 2008). LAW AND RECOVERY FROM DISASTER: HURRICANE KATRINA, Robin Paul Malloy, ed., Vol. 2, 2008, University of Louisville School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper Series , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1138910

James Ming Chen (Contact Author)

Michigan State University - College of Law ( email )

318 Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1300
United States

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