Module: Environment and Land Use (GEOG 0703) —Lecture of DR.

SURANJANA BANERJI Ma′am

1
___Rajib Das

The term ‘Social Vulnerability’ refers to the inability to withstand the effects of hostile environment, or
the inability to take effective measures to insure against losses. When the concept of livelihood is
integrated with social vulnerability, we need to look at the definition given by Adger, who refers it as
“the exposure of groups or individuals to stress as a result of social and environmental change, where
stress refers to unexpected changes and disruption to livelihood”.

REASON:
Social vulnerability is the inability of people to instant advance impact from multiple stressors to which
they are exposed.
1. It is the product of social inequality, on the basis of money, caste in a region.
2. When there is a social inequality, it will make certain groups more susceptible.
3. Social vulnerability also takes place because of place inequality contains the level of urbanization,
economic vitality, growth rate.

HISTORY OF THE CONCEPT:

In the 1970s the concept of vulnerability was introduced within the discourse on natural hazards and
disaster by O’Keefe, Westgate, and Wisner.
According to them, natural disaster happens due to socio-economic cause, a natural hazard turns in to a
disaster because of human beings. They illustrated their statements by empirical data. With the increase
of natural disasters the loss of lives also increases.
Susan Cutter developed an integrative approach (hazard of place), which tries to consider both multiple
geo- and biophysical hazards on the one hand as well as social vulnerabilities on the other hand.
Recently, Oliver-Smith grasped the nature-culture dichotomy by focusing both on the cultural
construction of the people-environment-relationship and on the material production of conditions that
define the social vulnerability of people.
PRINCIPLES:
There are 3 main tenets in vulnerability research, they are
1. Identification of condition that make people or places vulnerable to extreme natural events that is
creation of an exposure model.
2. The assumption that vulnerability is a social condition of measure of societal resistance or resilience
to hazard is important
3. Integration of potential exposures and societal resilience with a specific focus on particular places or
regions.

FACTORS INFLUENCING SOCIAL VULNERABILITY:

Till now, it is very difficult to accurately measure the level of social vulnerability of communities as
many factors may produce a combined effect. The vulnerability can be linked with possession of assets
and entitlements. Thus the communities that are having lesser assets may be more vulnerable than those
commanding more for facing the crisis like droughts and famine. The factors that influence the social
vulnerability are:
 Module: Environment and Land Use (GEOG 0703) —Lecture of DR. SURANJANA BANERJI Ma′am
2
___Rajib Das
1. Age: Age in family structure also has a role in granting resilience to the family. If higher number of
children and aged are dependent they may decrease the resilience and enhance the social vulnerability.
Even their mobility is also restricted during the time of hazard, thus enhancing the social vulnerability.
That’s why extremes of age spectrum that is too old or too young are more vulnerable.
2. Special needs population: If some of the family member requires special attention due to the
differentially abled, it enhances the social vulnerability of the family.
3. Education: The levels of education of the communities provide them better resilience during the time
of hazard or disaster. Higher levels of education have a direct linkage with a better job opportunity with
an enhanced income level which can reduce the social vulnerability.
4. Social Status & Residential Property: It is well known fact that if the social status and value of
residential property is high, access to the resources will be more, thus providing the group more
resilience towards the hazard or event. It also gives the capacity to recover more speedily from the
impact of the event. All communities having high social status & quality residence have less social
vulnerability as compared to low social status groups.
5. Commercial & Industrial Development:
6. Population Growth: Rapid growth in population, high population density make the community
vulnerable as there would be sharing of resources and the quality may diminish.
7. Medical Service:
8. Occupational Structures: If the income is based upon occupations which are linked to natural
resources like agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries, they are more likely to be affected by natural
hazards or climate related hazards. These occupations enhance the social vulnerability of the
communities.
9. Infrastructure & Lifeline: The speed of redevelopment or reconstruction after disaster also affect
the social vulnerability.