Emergency Management – Sociology at Work

Sociology of Disaster Recovery

Two Black women face away, looking at a flattened house and debris, beside fallen trees

On 28 October 2025, Hurricane Melissa devastated 90% of homes in the Black River area in Jamaica, with at least 50 people dead. In a recent article, Assistant Professor Wesley Cheek explains why a sociological understanding of emergency planning is necessary for the recovery process.

Sociology of Disaster Planning

Aerial view of a large hilly area flattened by the Palisades Fire, California, n 15 January 2025. Around half the homes are reduced to rubble, while the other half still stand

Two show how sociology can inform disaster planning, and why public policy must invest in better strategies and community education.