Emergent Citizen Groups in Disasters and Their Political Activity: A look at Natural Hazard Situations

This paper explores the dynamics of emergent citizen groups, or ECGs as we shall call them in potential or actual disaster situations in which the political process is used. Field data are drawn from a nationwide study of emergent citizen groups (of ECGs) in disasters. We describe the process of citizen response to actual or potential natural hazard situations as well as how the role of ECGs may affect political decisions.