Community organization for the protection of cultural heritage in the aftermath of disasters
Abstract as pdf
Corresponding Author:
David Torres
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia Mexico
david_torres@inah.gob.mx
Author(s):
When disasters occur, they have the potential to cause great damage on infrastructure, property, and intangible assets as well, affecting large regions and disrupting livelihood in many ways, including cultural heritage. This paper explores how communities may use traditional social structures, not previously related to disaster management, to intervene and take independent actions in the protection of cultural assets during emergencies. Through a case study in Mexico, the type of community organizations involved during the emergency phase is reviewed, emphasizing on the emerging and informal groups. In that context, the thematic analysis of 17 semi-structured interviews conducted in this investigation revealed two factors that can need to be considered to understand what has driven those groups to physically engage in the rescue activities: a) the pre-disaster relationship between institutions and the community, within the socio-political contextÍž and b) the cultural significance of the places or objects that are perceived at risk. Additionally, this research demonstrates that the social implication of emergency actions taken by the community have an important role for local communities by helping them to organize and face the loss. Thus, cultural sites and objects become physical nodes around which people can improve risk awareness, find psychological relief, and emerge as organized and more resilient groups. As a result, this research concludes that cultural heritage can and should stand in the centre of collective participation that enhance people’s capacity to cope and reduce social vulnerability in disasters.
Community response to crises and disasters: From preparedness to practices