What the world can learn from Christchurch’s decade of disasters
Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. And Ōtautahi Christchurch is our most disaster-prone city. In recent years it has experienced earthquakes, floods, wildfires and a terrorist attack. On an urbanising planet facing unprecedented environmental pressures, this place has much to teach us. Christchurch’s Red Zone is arguably the greatest area of managed urban retreat anywhere in the world. And most of the central city has had to be rebuilt, meaning that our oldest city is also now our newest. With the climate emergency, sea-level rise and a host of other hazards, similar fates also await so many other urban settings around the world. The future has already arrived in Christchurch – so what can we learn from its decade of disasters?
Bio
Dr Steve Matthewman is a Professor of Sociology at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. His research focuses on the sociology of disasters. Recent book projects include edited collections on a decade of disaster experiences in Ōtautahi Christchurch (with Shinya Uekusa and Bruce Glavovich) and on COVID-19 and the social sciences. His current work focuses on the former Residential Red Zone in Ōtautahi Christchurch, looking at what happens after managed retreat.
Event
6:30pm @Oakroom, 17 Drake Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Also speaking at this location at 8:00pm is Johan Verbeek
