Tiffany Davison

Complex Emergencies
Pablo Di Stefano
December 18th, 2022
Complex Emergencies: Final Assignment/Take-home Exam
Please respond to the following question, using complete sentences. Separate your thoughts
into paragraphs and ensure that you use your class notes, and readings, to back up your
arguments. The more critical thought that you can demonstrate, the better you can appeal to
the readings done over the semester, the higher mark you will receive. Your response needs to
be a minimum of one page. Please note; it will be difficult to be comprehensive if your response
is too brief.
Question:
Carefully define what structural violence is, using as much detail as possible. Give your own
example (not one used, or discussed, in class) to back up your definition. Using Hurricane
Katrina, explain how structural violence creates vulnerability that renders oppressed
populations more susceptible to complex emergencies. Thinking critically, explain how the
severity of the destruction during the Haitian Earthquake might also be related to structural
violence. Use examples to prove the argument.
Structural violence can be defined as any violence or suffering whether it be physical or

emotional that happens over and over again brought on by a society's institutions and social

systems such as economic or political. This violence is usually experienced by oppressed groups

such as people of color. Unfortunately, victims of structural violence are dismissed when asked

for answers and/or change, they are powerless in this situation because of the lack of authority

that they hold therefore, they are pushed under the rug. Structural violence is shown in the

reading “Almost every household has someone that has died from cancer” written by Jamiles

Lartey and Oliver Laughland. The toxic plant was knowingly planted in an area where poor

African American people live making them more vulnerable to getting cancer then other people

due to the citizens not being able to leave because of their economic situations. Considering none

of the citizens in “Cancer Valley hold any power the representatives have put them on the back

burner for years even while many lives were lost. To add on, this structural violence has

continuously happened throughout the years starting with slavery, then sharecropping and now

living in a highly toxic area. The system has let these communities down. My own example of

structural violence could be the state-run execution of Jewish people by the Nazi regime. They

were not met with access to goods, resources and opportunities as other groups were solely

because of their ethnicity. They were tortured endlessly and pushed under the rug because of the

lack of power they had. The presence of structural violence creates vulnerability that renders

oppressed populations more susceptible to complex emergencies because the population is

vulnerable even before the disaster occurred. Racism is one of the factors that create the concept

of vulnerability. Considering New Orleans had a history of racism and slavery this made the

minorities within the population more susceptible to a complex emergency taking place. The
black population grew massively throughout 1860 to 1870 because of the slaves being freed. The

number of people ranged from 25,000 to 50,000. Slaves were at the bottom of the set-in stone

hierarchy causing them to make a low-income salary which led them to staying in places with

low grounds making them more susceptible to a complex emergency, compared to the white, rich

and powerful citizens on higher ground away from floodings. This led to segregation between

the white rich citizens and the poorer black citizens that was caused due to poverty and racism

creating an unjust system years before the disaster even occurred. In 2005, many citizens were

affected due to living on low grounds, not only did minorities have to worry about their shelter

but also the means of transport they could use in order to evacuate to safety as soon as possible

and the financial stress they must’ve gone through considering they lived in poorer

neighborhoods and had to figure out where to stay with little to no money. Many people did not

have another form of transportation therefore had to take and count on public transport. After the

disaster, the US coast guard ignored all the legalities of their role making them make impulsive

decisions without realizing the vulnerable citizens. They had helicopters flying over

neighborhoods which consisted of predominantly black people. Although the citizens were being

seen suffering no aid was given by the authorities. The other small number of citizens that

“received aid” or were saved by relief workers were left on the I-10 like a bunch of animals and

were told to go to the convention center. Considering the area went through a massive hurricane

the I-10 was blocked off and the citizens were left there for days with no food, water or shelter

while the media and officials continuously gave them false hope by telling them help was on the

way. The media then switched the flip and started photographing black citizens trying to get help

or resources for survival as “looters”. However, when white people were photographed trying to

do the exact same thing as the black citizens the media stated they were just “looking for food”.
The media and officials helped feed common stereotypes into people’s heads making black

people more vulnerable to any form of injustice. This led to citizens dehumanizing black people

and thinking they can just “go away” making them more disposable because they had no

responsible representative to hear their cries. The severity of the destruction after the Haiti

earthquake can also be linked to structural violence because the same situation as the New

Orleans hurricane happened. The Haitian community were not met with basic needs such as aid,

shelter, food, medical assistance. Considering Haiti has a history of colonialism it has deep

rooted racism within the community which affected citizens who had a low income and were low

on the hierarchy. This led to the citizens being more vulnerable to the earthquake.