Thesis advisor: Rebekah L. Coley / Recent decades have witnessed the increasing spatial concentration of poverty and affluence in the United States (Biscoff & Reardon, 2013). Given well-documented links between neighborhood economic contexts and wellbeing (Chow et al., 2005), this has the potential to exacerbate disparities in health, particularly for people with limited neighborhood choice. However, limited research has systematically examined the neighborhood features underlying these links. A more nuanced understanding of why neighborhood poverty matters is essential for promoting equitable neighborhood development. Using rigorous analytic techniques that account for the dynamic nature of neighborhoods and help adjust for selection bias, I considered two complementary questions: 1) do observed neighborhood resources and stressors mediate associations between neighborhood poverty and wellbeing within and between individuals; and 2) how do observed versus perceived changes in neighborhood features mediate links between neighborhood poverty and wellbeing? I combined individual-level longitudinal data from the Post-Katrina Study of Resilience and Recovery with administrative neighborhood data drawn from the Census Bureau, FBI, and EPA. Analyses focused on a sample of 606 participants – primarily young Black mothers with low levels of income – who were affected by Hurricane Katrina, most of whom experienced some period of forced relocation. Participants were surveyed once before (2003/04) and twice after (2006/07; 2009) the hurricane. Results paint a complex picture. Contrasting with prior research, total effects of neighborhood poverty on wellbeing were limited. However, changes in neighborhood poverty were linked to wellbeing indirectly through intermediary neighborhood features, with results pointing to benefits and detriments of rising neighborhood poverty. Results were driven by those who changed neighborhoods over the course of the study. For participants that lived in the same New Orleans neighborhood across waves, changes in neighborhood poverty proved less consequential. Overall, results suggest that rather than treating neighborhood poverty as uniformly problematic for wellbeing, efforts to promote health equity should identify and build upon existing assets of neighborhoods, like affordability and amenity access, while also reducing stressors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

En el Perú, existe una gran necesidad de reducir el impacto de los desastres naturales ocasionados por el fenómeno El Niño, ya que genera cuantiosas pérdidas, algunas pueden ser tanto humanas como materiales. Este evento hidro-climático, que azotó al país por última vez en el año 2017, evidenció que no existen soluciones tecnológicas para reducir las consecuencias de este tipo de acontecimientos. Por tal motivo, el presente proyecto pretende, analizar los principales peligros e impacto de los desastres naturales del fenómeno “El Niño” en el Perú, la aplicación de las TIC que hoy en día se utilizan en la gestión de desastres naturales, el diseño de un catálogo de soluciones tecnológicas incluyendo para cada una su arquitectura física y el costo aproximado de implementación, la validación de las soluciones tecnológicas a través de expertos en desastres climatológicos e investigación tecnológica, y por último, definir una hoja de ruta para la implementación de las soluciones tecnológicas propuestas. Se espera que el catálogo ayude a las entidades peruanas públicas o privadas, encargadas de la gestión de desastres naturales, a poner en marcha soluciones TIC que supongan una mejora y un mejor resultado en la atención de desastres sin necesidad de tener un amplio conocimiento sobre las TIC y que brinden una gama de posibilidades tanto en la diversidad de componentes que conforma cada solución tecnológica y costos. / In Peru, there is a great need to reduce the impact of natural disasters caused by the El Niño southern oscillation phenomenon (ENSO), since it generates large losses both human and material. This hydro-climatic event, which hit the country for the last time in 2017, showed that there are no technological solutions to reduce the consequences of this type of events. For this reason, this project aims to analyze the main dangers and impact of natural disasters of the "El Niño" phenomenon in Peru, the application of ICT that are used today in the management of natural disasters, design a catalog of technological solutions including, for each one, its physical architecture and the approximate cost of implementation, the validation of the technological solutions through experts in climatological disasters and technological research, and finally, define a Roadmap for the proposed technological solutions. It is expected that the catalog will help Peruvian public or private entities, in charge of natural disaster management, to implement ICT solutions that will improve and improve disaster response without needing to have extensive knowledge about the ICT and that offer a range of possibilities both in the diversity of components that make up each technological solution and costs. / Tesis

Una de las preocupaciones que mayormente tienen los países en vías de desarrollo es el efecto de los desastres naturales sobre la educación. Por este motivo, la presente investigación realiza un análisis del efecto de los desastres naturales: Heladas e inundaciones, sobre la generación de resultados educativos, medido como puntaje de pruebas estandarizadas de matemática y lenguaje. Además, se analiza si la tipología de estos desastres podría implicar resultados diferenciados. Para ello, se aplica un modelo de efectos aleatorios con una base de datos panel disponible del estudio Young Lives (Niños del Milenio). En efecto, el estudio confirma la hipótesis de que los desastres naturales evaluados influyen en los resultados educativos por el lado de riqueza del hogar y estado de salud del estudiante. / One of the concerns that developing countries have mostly is the effect of natural disasters on education. Therefore, the present investigation carries out an analysis of the effect of natural disasters: Frost and floods, on the generation of educational results, measured as a standardized math and language test score. Furthermore, whether the typology of these disasters could imply differentiated results. For this, a random effects model is applied with a panel database available from the Young Lives study. Hence, the study confirms the hypothesis that the natural disasters evaluated influence educational outcomes on the side of household wealth and student health status. / Trabajo de investigación

Many studies find support that natural disaster events and post-conflict episodes increase the risk of organized violence. However, few are found to investigate if post-conflict countries become more violent in the aftermath of natural disasters. By combining research on post-conflict violence, natural disasters, and non-state violence, it is argued in this study that disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and pandemics strain the capacities of all governments, and in post-conflict countries, the weakened capacities of governments can cause public security gaps. These power vacuums, as a result of natural disasters, can incentivize non-state groups to expand and compete for control, and consequently causes the severity of violence to increase. This argument is estimated on country-year data consisting of 64 post-conflict countries between 1989‒2015. A statistically significant correlation between natural disasters and the increased severity of non-state violence is found when testing the argument using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and logistic regression, control variables, and different dependent variables. However, due to limiting factors in the statistical models, the results are deemed too ambivalent to fully support the hypothesis.

La gestión de desastres en el Perú es necesaria para poder superar los diversos fenómenos a los que nuestro país es propenso. Sin embargo, esta es aún incipiente e incompleta. Uno de estos casos es el que se presenta en esta investigación. Una mina informal ubicada en la región de La Libertad, en el distrito de Pataz ha estado vertiendo desmontes (material de desecho) sobre un talud natural y ha llegado a un punto crítico de deslizamiento inminente. El depósito es de 35,000 m3 aproximadamente y está ubicado sobre un pueblo habitado. Por ello, esta tesis plantea realizar un análisis del riesgo, estudiando el peligro y su naturaleza, y el nivel de vulnerabilidad de los afectados. Para ello seguimos manuales del estado peruano de análisis de riesgo y le añadimos criterios geotécnicos y análisis de estabilidad de taludes en su condición estática y pseudo estática. Finalmente, se proponen formas de mitigar el riesgo de deslizamiento. En el capítulo uno se revisa conceptos teóricos sobre estabilidad de taludes, resistencia al corte, equilibrio límite. Además, se revisa la realidad de la informalidad en el Perú. Finalmente, se definen conceptos que ayudan al análisis del riesgo. En el segundo capítulo se explica la metodología a aplicar tanto para el análisis de estabilidad de taludes como para el proceso de análisis de riesgo. En el tercer capítulo se alcanzan los detalles propios de la zona de estudio, así las investigaciones y ensayos realizados a los componentes geotécnicos presentes. En el cuarto capítulo se hace el desarrollo del análisis de estabilidad, explicando los resultados y las hipótesis tomadas. En el quinto capítulo se desarrolla todo el análisis del riesgo; explicando paso a paso la valoración de la peligrosidad y de la vulnerabilidad. / Disaster management in Peru is necessary to overcome the various phenomena to which our country is prone. However, this is still incipient and incomplete. One of these cases is the one we studied in this investigation. An informal mine located in the region of La Libertad, in the district of Pataz, has been pouring waste material over a natural slope and has reached a critical point of impending landslide. The volume deposit is approximately 35,000 m3 and is located on an inhabited town. Therefore, this thesis proposes an analysis of the risk, studying the danger and its nature, and the level of vulnerability of those affected. For this, we follow risk analysis manuals of the Peruvian state and add geotechnical criteria and slope stability analysis in its static and pseudo static condition. Finally, ways of mitigating the risk of slipping are proposed. In chapter one, theoretical concepts on slope stability, shear strength, limit balance are reviewed. In addition, the reality of informality in Peru is reviewed. Finally, concepts that help to analyses the risk are defined. The second chapter explains the methodology to be applied for slope stability analysis and for the risk analysis process. In the third chapter, the details of the study area are reached as well as the investigations and tests carried out on the geotechnical components present. In the fourth chapter the development of the stability analysis is done, explaining the results and the hypotheses taken. The entire risk analysis is developed in the fifth chapter, step by step, explaining the assessment of danger and vulnerability. / Tesis

[pt] Pontes transportáveis para uso em caso de desastres naturais são geralmente estruturas pesadas, com altos custos de fabricação e exigem mão de obra qualificada para montagem, limitando o alcance de seu uso, especialmente em locais carentes de recursos. Dessa forma, este trabalho tem como objetivo desenvolver uma solução de ponte dobrável leve, fácil de construir, transportar e montar, sendo feita, principalmente, de bambu, um material com elevada relação resistência/peso e sustentável. O trabalho discute aspectos relevantes sobre o comportamento de estruturas pantográficas existentes, bem como sobre as principais características mecânicas e físicas do bambu, especificamente da espécie Guadua Angustifolia Kunth utilizada na pesquisa. Em uma primeira etapa, a fim de se avaliar a viabilidade do material escolhido, um programa experimental incluindo ensaios de flexão, fluência e dois diferentes tipos de ensaios de compressão foi conduzido. Ensaios feitos após ciclos de imersão e secagem com o intuito de avaliar o efeito de chuvas reincidentes sobre o material também foram realizados. Ensaios para determinação de coeficiente de atrito entre cordas de nylon e o bambu também foram realizados para estabelecer parâmetros adequados para avaliação da resistência das ligações amarradas. Num segundo estágio, o projeto da estrutura é apresentado e discutido, destacando o comportamento das ligações nas fases de desdobramento, protensão e final. Por fim, análises estruturais estáticas e dinâmicas foram realizadas com auxílio de modelos computacionais para as diferentes fases de montagem, apontando para a viabilidade da ponte proposta. / [en] Transportable bridges for natural disaster relief are usually heavy, have higher fabrication costs and demand qualified professionals for assembly. These disadvantages limit the reach of their benefits, especially in places with little available resources. The objective of this work is to develop a bridge designed to be lightweight, easy-to-build, -transport and –assembly and also mainly made of bamboo, a cheap sustainable material with high strength/weight ratio. This work discusses relevant aspects regarding the mechanics of existing pantographic structures, as well as the main mechanical and physical properties of bamboo, more specifically the species Guadua Angustifolia Kunth used in this research. At first, to evaluate the viability of the chosen material, an experimental program including bending, creep and two different types of compression tests was carried out. Tests after wet-and-dry cycles, considering the possible effects of repeated rain to exposed bamboo, were also performed. Tests to determine the friction coefficient between nylon ropes and bamboo were also carried to obtain parameters necessary to assess the strength of tied bamboo joints. After that, the structural design is presented and discussed, exploring the mechanics of the proposed connections and their behavior at the deployment stage, pre-stressing stage and final stage. At last, static and dynamic structural analysis were made with numeric models to all development stages, confirming the viability of the proposed bridge.

My starting point was to gain an understanding of how humanitarian aid was organized in Tacloban City after the disaster of typhoon Haiyan. Two specific sectors has been studied; Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) and Emergency Shelter. As basic parameters the Sphere Handbook (The Sphere Project) served as a guideline, a set of minimum standards of humanitarian response compiled by different humanitarian agencies with the aim to improve the quality of humanitarian assistance. Large parts of the city's urban land area is currently located in a geographic location that poses a significant risk in terms of vulnerability to floods, landslides and storm winds. A summary of risk analysis indicates that a specific area of land south-west of today's city center are more suited as a development site in terms of reduced vulnerability. The strategies of resistance against the forces of nature for the city of Tacloban are divided into four different scales from macro to micro; City, Barangay (the smallest administrative division within the Philippine municipality system), Sitio (territorial enclave inside a barangay) and the private home. / Min utgångspunkt har varit att få en uppfattning kring hur det humanitära biståndet anordnades i staden Tacloban efter naturkatastrofen Haiyan. Två specifika sektorer har undersökts; ”Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)” och ”Emergency Shelter”. Som riktlinje och grundläggande parameter har jag använt ”The Sphere Handbook” (The Sphere Project), en uppsättning grundläggande standarder som sammanställts av olika humanitära organisationer med målet att förbättra kvaliteten på det humanitära biståndet.Stora delar av Taclobans urbana landområde befinner sig inom ett geografiskt område som utgör en betydande risk vad gäller sårbarhet för översvämningar, jordskred och stormvindar. En sammanställning av riskanalyser visar att ett specifikt landområde sydväst om dagens centrum är mer lämpat som en framtida plats för stadsutveckling. I mitt arbete har jag utvecklat strategier för att staden skall kunna motstå naturens krafter inför ett liknande framtida scenario. Tacloban har delats in i fyra olika skalor från makro till mikro;Staden, Barangay-området (den minsta administrativa divisionen inom det filippinskakommun- systemet), Sitio (territoriell enklav inom ett barangay-område) och det enskilda hemmet.

Seagrass meadows, like coral reefs, are in decline globally but are often neglected in marine policy and conservation despite their equally critical ecosystem services. Both habitats can be heavily impacted by wave surges, rainfall-induced earth movement and flooding, changes to water temperature, salinity, and acidity, and increased levels of turbidity—all occurring at increased rates due to a changing global climate. We demonstrate that multispectral satellite imagery, geospatial tools, and classification techniques can be used to inform management by identifying and quantifying changes in seagrass distribution and the presence of sediment-related threats. Results from Dominica indicate near-shore seagrass habitat area increased by 195.7 hectares between 2016 and 2019, suggesting a continued expansion of Halophila stipulacea. Further analysis showed 22.4 hectares of accreted coastal sediment and 1362.2 hectares of suspended sediment captured, placing 424.4 hectares of sensitive reef area at risk of experiencing tissue abrasion or reduced photosynthetic activity. Our methods can be used by marine resource managers and policy makers to inform decisions relating to fisheries production, emissions trading, disaster risk mitigation, and invasive species monitoring, facilitating sustainable growth in the blue economy.

This dissertation consists of three chapters that examine the spatial distribution of economic activities. The first chapter examines how disasters as well as individuals’ expectations of what others will do affect the development of cities. The development of cities often involves the rejuvenation or replacement of existing structures. However, history, in the form of the sunk cost of existing durable structures, often serves as an impediment to urban development. In theory, by reducing the opportunity cost of waiting to rebuild to zero, disasters can eliminate these frictions and bring about higher quality structures. In addition, the simultaneous rebuilding after a disaster would allow property owners to experience stronger cross-building spillovers which would encourage further upgrades of nearby buildings. Nevertheless, these are not sufficient to guarantee higher quality buildings. This is because individuals’ investment decisions also depend on their expectations of what others will do. Therefore, in this chapter, we examine both of these issues using the 1666 Great Fire of London as a natural experiment. First, using a difference-in-differences (DiD) strategy, we show evidence that the Fire was able to free parishes within London from the constraints of their existing durable structures and move them to a new equilibrium involving higher quality structures. Second, using DiD and an IV strategy, we find that legal rulings arising from the Fire Court – a court specially set up by the English Parliament to hear rebuilding disputes – were able to anchor expectations and in so doing, helped to facilitate the development of London. Providing causal evidence that legal rulings can be a main driver in the formation of expectations is the main contribution of our paper. The second chapter examines how the quirks of history shape present-day economic outcomes. Building on Bazzi et al. (2020), I study how a particular episode of history – time at the frontier – helps to explain the present-day manufacturing production patterns across American counties. First, I show empirical evidence that there are fewer establishments and lower employment in counties that spent a longer time on the frontier. The same results hold for industries that are more “contractible” (i.e., easier to specify in contracts and hence less susceptible to holdup). Second, using a DiD strategy, I show that firms in high “contractibility” industries sort into producing at counties that spent a longer time on the frontier. I hypothesize that due to “rugged individualism”, individuals in counties that spent a longer time on the frontier are less likely to trust other people. Therefore, anything that is not “contractible” becomes harder and more costly to enforce. Consequently, only the more “contractible” industries locate in counties that spent a longer time on the frontier. The third chapter examines how land use regulations and NIMBY (“not in my back yard”) behavior affect housing prices in the UK. In the UK, developers have to apply to the local planning authority to seek development permission. Applicants who have their plans rejected can appeal to the Secretary of State, via the Planning Inspectorate. The Planning Inspectorate then assigns an inspector to decide whether to overturn the local authority’s decision. We propose a theoretical model which shows that in locations with high levels of NIMBY-ism, developers are better off getting their plans rejected by the local authority and gambling on drawing an inspector who is less sympathetic towards locals’ NIMBY behavior. Our empirical strategy exploits the fact that inspectors are quasi-randomly assigned to the appeals. This allows us to use inspector leniency as an instrument for whether an appeal is successful. We find that overturning the local authority’s decision does not lead to a large fall in housing prices. For some projects, the impact may in fact be positive because they also add to local amenities such as retail shops. This suggests a prevalence of NIMBY-ism, as locals pressure authorities to reject even relatively benign projects.

Purpose - There has been a considerable effort over the last decade to increase awareness of the tsunami risk in coastal Washington, USA. However, contemporary research on warning systems spawned by the recent Indian Ocean tsunami tragedy highlights the need for development of an effective tsunami warning system for both residents and transient populations, including visitors and tourists. This study sets out evaluate staff training for emergencies, emergency management exercises (including drills and evacuation), and hazard signage within motels and hotels in Ocean Shores, Washington, USA. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from interviews with reception staff and managers at 18 hotels, motels, and other accommodation establishments. Findings - Levels of staff training and preparedness for tsunami and other hazards were found to be generally very low, although examples of "best practice" were found at a select few establishments. Larger hotels already had orientation or general training programmes set up which had the potential to incorporate future tsunami and hazard training, while smaller "owner-operator" businesses did not. Research limitations/implications - Suggestions on how to improve preparedness are discussed, including undertaking training needs analyses and conducting workshops, simulations and employee training to empower both businesses and employees. Originality/value - This case study provides an insight into the challenges faced by emergency managers and the tourism sector in improving the effectiveness of warning systems in areas with high transient populations.