Dave Neal “The Institutionalization of Disaster Management Programs and the Need for Theory Department of Political Science OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

FOCUS OF TALK Demonstrate “Disaster Management” is an Institutionalized Field of Study –Neal EMI 1998 talk & 2000 Publication –Phillips 2005 With Being Institutionalized, Urgent Need for Theory Development –After all, This Is COLLEGE (not training) –Mid Range Theory –Practical Reason for Theory among Professionals

DISASTER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONALIZED Increased Legitimacy –w/ in University –STRONG body of Knowledge –w/ Profession Increased Student Interest –Increased number of Majors Minors Graduate Programs Job Market Needs !

DISASTER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONALIZED, con’t Finally…….Textbooks, and more to come Curriculum Options –Ties into Textbook Issue –Different Models Comprehensive Disaster Management Vulnerability International Perspective Terror Driven Others –Will Continue to Emerge

OTHER ISSUES Administrative Placement –Which Department –Consider Research Base –Consider Theory Base Faculty Recruitment –Need PhD’s What Did I Miss 10 Years Ago? –Diversity (implied, but NOT explicit) –Growing Role of Terrorism

WHY THEORY? Key Point – Theory Needed to Improve Profession and Practice of Disaster Management MUST Integrate into Our Curriculum After all, this is college, not training

WHY THEORY? Why Theory? –Disaster Managers Work in Unpredictable Environments –Profession is NOT Series of SOPs –Theory Draws upon Abstract Notions Theory Provides Professionals a Guide to Manage New Circumstances

NEED FOR THEORY Curriculum MUST begin to Confront Theory Issues “Real Life” in Classes is Fine Ignoring Theory is akin to Ignoring Real Life And, College Means “Body of Knowledge” based upon Science We Need Theory, We Need Real Life

TYPE OF THEORY Initial Steps –Middle Range Theory (Merton 1956) See Barton 1969 for disaster comments –NOT Abstracted Empiricism (Mills 1959) –NOT Grand Theory (Mills 1959) Previous Theory Building/Propositions –Dynes 1970 –Barton 1969 –Drabek, Mileti and Haas 1975 –Drabek 1986

LEVELS OF ANALYSIS FOR THEORY BUILDING Individual (psychological) Group (social psychological) Organization Neighborhood/Community State / Nation Level also Imply different disciplines –i.e., disaster/hazards multidiscipline field

WHY THEORY?? Ground Our Course of Study –Let Me Repeat, This Is College, NOT Training –Knowledge/Research/Empirical Based Build General Theory Allows for Wise Decisions for: –Planning for new types of events –Responding to new types of events –Recovering from new types of events –Mitigating new or unanticipated events