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AbstractThis essay takes up a recently introduced term, trans‐system social ruptures (TSSRs), and demonstrates its applicability to understanding ruptures to transnational systems. Using the relationship between Canada and the United States as a focus point, the article differentiates national from transnational system social ruptures. The article goes on to explore national and transnational system vulnerability to and resiliency from TSSRs. The distinction between the two types of TSSRs poses empirical, operational, and policy implications. The objective and subjective emergence of TSSRs as a social problem has much to offer to our understanding of disaster events and future crises. The article closes with several recommendations for theoretical development.

Making sense of disaster -- We did what we had to do: identity, ethos, and community in action -- Making sense and taking action -- Breaking rules, making rules: the paradox of disaster -- Blending art and science, or mindful muddling: toward a new concept of disaster management

Based on an inductive analysis of qualitative in-depth interviews, extensive field observation, and document material, we introduce the concept of reproductive improvisation, an improvisation form that emphasizes reproducing something valued that is lost. We address how an organization might choose sameness in turbulent and ambiguous environments, and how it achieves that goal. Using the reestablishment of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) following its destruction during the September 1l, 2001 World Trade Center disaster in New York City, we discuss how factors such as system stability, pressures to maintain the status quo, substitution accessibility, and retaining a preexisting mental map that develops into a shared vision all facilitate reproductive improvisation. This research differs from most other work on improvisation (e.g., Weick, 1998) that focuses on improvising to generate something new. Here we focus on improvising to generate something that is, as much as possible, the same as a previous model. We therefore add a new perspective on the usual thinking of improvisation and organizations responding to changing environments.

The Disaster Research Center (DRC) at the University of Delaware, with the financial support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the College of Arts and Sciences, held a two-day conference titled "Disaster Research in the Social Sciences: Lessons Learned, Challenges, and Future Trajectories." The conference highlighted the interdisciplinary and international nature of the disaster research field and focused on: 1) the growth and development of the field of disasters, from the perspective of the Social Sciences; 2) theoretical, methodological, and public policy contributions of the field; 3) lessons learned and best practices that have emerged from this area of research; and 4) future trajectories or opportunities for Social Science research in the study of disasters. Conference participants included leading scholars and researchers, practitioners, representatives from funding organizations, and graduate and undergraduate students. The conference allowed participants to discuss substantive, theoretical, and methodological issues and concerns relevant to the field as well as to generate new research initiatives that will contribute to our understanding and knowledge regarding the study of disasters. Substantive and critical issues discussed during this two-day conference included: the growth and development of disaster research in the Social Sciences; theoretical and methodological contributions and challenges in disaster research; impact of disaster research for practitioners; the role and importance of multi- and inter-disciplinary research in the disaster field; the development of an international research agenda; the role of research centers in training the new generation of researchers; funding disaster research and priorities for the future in a post-9/11 environment; major research areas and issues that need to be developed and explored over the next decade at both the national and international level; and efforts to establish collaborative research initiatives across disciplines and geographical boundaries. DRC was the first Social Science research center in the world devoted to the study of disasters, so it was appropriate and timely that a conference of such magnitude was held at the University of Delaware at a particularly historical moment for the DRC and the field of disaster studies. This conference not only provided a stimulating intellectual environment but it also presented an opportunity to celebrate DRC's 40 th anniversary and to examine the impact and contributions of the Center to the field of disaster research both nationally and internationally. Moreover, during the two-day event, conference participants had an opportunity to pay tribute to Enrico L. Quarantelli and Russell R. Dynes, two of the founding fathers of DRC and disaster research from a social science perspective.

Intro -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Contributors -- Introduction: The New Environmental Crisis -- Introduction -- A New Environmental Crisis -- Challenges at Every Scale -- Research to Policy Challenges -- State of Knowledge -- This Volume -- Disaster Management Challenges -- Constituency -- Ethical Concerns -- The Moon Shot -- References -- Part I: Locating Disaster Studies -- Launching the DRC: Historical Context and Future Directions -- Historical Context -- Early Disaster Studies -- Key Methodological Issues -- Literature Review Project -- Field Interview Guide -- Staff Training -- Expert Consultations -- Laboratory Studies -- Key Theoretical Issues -- What Is an Organization? -- What Is a Disaster? -- What Is Organizational Stress? -- How Can Organizational Emergence and Improvisation Best Be Identified and Analyzed? -- Key Ethical Issues -- What Are the Requirements for "Informed Consent"? -- What Does a Promise of Interview Confidentiality Require and What Potential Legal Exposure Is Created? -- What Policy Guidance Was Required Regarding Media Interviews, Sponsor Inquiries, and Such? -- What Dissemination Obligation Does a Researcher Have Who Has Collected and Analyzed Disaster Data? -- New Directions -- Basic Theoretical Issues -- What Is a Disaster? -- What Are the Historical Antecedents to Disaster? -- How, When and Why Is Disaster Reflected in Popular Culture? -- What Theoretical Frameworks Will Inform Assessments of Adaptations and Consequences of Climate Change? -- What Theoretical Frameworks Will Guide Analyses of Cross-Societal Comparisons and Assessments of Both Global Impacts and Multinational Response and Relief Efforts? -- Expansion of the Emergency Management Interface -- Professionalism -- Redoing Gender -- Social Media -- Importance of Improvisation -- Bridge Building Activities -- References.

Following disasters, materiel convergence (the influx of materiel donations) can cause extreme negative impacts; it has been described as a "second disaster". Non-priority goods and donations that exceed the need can negatively impact transportation into the area and create storage concerns for both distribution centers and survivors. A successful supply chain aligns the needs and interests of the actors involved. This paper focuses on how actors involved in the disaster donations supply chain construct and understand their own interests, and how those interests align between actor groups (i.e. donors, donation collectors, and distributors). Interviews were conducted following Hurricane Sandy in 2013 and two tornadoes outside of Oklahoma City in May 2013 with individual actors in the donation supply chain. These interviews were analyzed for how interviewees constructed the need for donations, and the alignment of their interests with other actors at different stages. Overall, a misalignment was observed between donors, donation collectors, and donations distributors. Future research should investigate the specific interests of survivors and how their interests align with other actors in the donation supply chain.

AbstractThe convergence of materiel donations following disaster events is well documented in the literature. This influx of goods is often dubbed a "second disaster" with non‐priority and unnecessary goods causing transportation and storage challenges to the community of survivors. Interviews were conducted following Hurricane Sandy in 2013 and two tornadoes outside of Oklahoma City in May 2013. Findings illustrate conflicting views about how to best achieve agility in disaster donation supply chains, although there was general agreement among interviewees that agility was desirable. From a broader perspective, the findings reveal that individuals involved in the supply chain differentially assign value in the donations process, including if they value donor needs over survivor needs, and hold different views on whether or not cash or goods are of greater value to the donors and survivors. Agility—the timing, flexibility, and reaction time in the supply chain—was viewed as necessary to a healthy supply chain; however, there was not a universal understanding of how to achieve an agile supply chain. This finding is consequential if relief operations hope to ultimately enhance agility in this process.

The Disaster Research Center (DRC) was founded in 1963 to help American government decision makers understand how citizens would respond in times of crisis. Since then, DRC personnel have embarked upon some 700 quick-response deployments to better understand the social and physical aspects of disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. This research has taken DRC faculty and students around the world, from New York City, conducting research that explored and documented the city's response to and recovery from 9/11, to the Kathmandu Valley to better understand mothering during disaster evacuation after the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Relevant to the academy, practitioners, and the public, DRC is available to lend its expertise to answer the most pressing questions in disaster science.