"Advancing
“Advancing
Knowledge
human security
for Human
through
Security
knowledge-based
and Development“
approaches to reducing vulnerability and environmental risks“
United Nations University
United Nations University
Institute for Environment and
Institute for Environment and
Human Security
Human Security
(UNU-EHS)
(UNU-EHS)
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Flood risk mitigation: Does culture matter?
4th International Symposium on Flood Defense
May 6-8, 2008
Toronto, Canada
Xiaomeng Shen
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Table of Content

Flood risk and mitigation

A comparative case study

Role of culture in risk mitigation

Conclusion
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Notion of Risk

Formal-normative: Risk can be calculated using
mathematical formulas such as R=f(V,H)

Psychological-cognitive: Risk can be observed
from psychological perspective such as using
the Psychometric Approach

Social-economic approach: Risk can be related
to people’s social-economic status

Cultural theory on risk
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Risk is a Social Construct
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Disaster cycle and Fields of Action
Land use adaptation
Building codes
Insurances
Reconstruction
Response
Prevention
Aid for
affected
people
Behavior
Information
Natural retention
Technical
measures
Emergency
relief
German committee for disaster reduction
Flood
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Case Studies
Wuhan 1998
Köln, 1995
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Cologne
Köln
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Wuhan
Wuhan
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Flood Risk Perception in Comparison
WUHAN
China
COLOGNE
Germany
Unified:

Diverse:
Politicians and private sector: more
land for construction

Manageable through structural
measures
Flood management agency:
preventive spatial plan and building
codes


Chain of command in flood fighting
involving military and
general public is
indispensable
Environmental agencies and NGOs:
more space for nature

Farmers’ unions: “We don’t want to
lose more land and our way of life!”

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Actions Taken
Land use adaptation
Building codes
Insurances
Reconstruction
Response
Aid for
affected
people
Prevention
Wuhan
Behavior
Natural retention
Technical
measures
Emergency
relief
Flood
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Information
Cologne
Flood Risk Management Strategy
WUHAN
China
COLOGNE
Germany
Integrated and participative:
Engineered and top-down:

Dams and dikes

Land use planning, building codes

Reservoirs

Insurance

Retention areas

Information, public participation

Technical early warning

Natural retention areas

Flood fighting and dike defence

Horizontal co-operation risk
communication

Top-down chain of command

Technical flood protection

Disaster relief

Early warning

Flood fighting

Disaster relief
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Culture as a Driving Factor for Risk Perception
Culture is defined as a way of life by Cultural Theory. Way of life is a
viable combination of cultural bias and social relations.
Nature Begnign
Nature Ephemeral
Nature Capricious
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Nature Perverse / Tolerant
Risk Portfolio of Different Cultural Types
Cultural Types
Risk Portfolio
Attitude towards Risk
egalitarian culture
environmental risks
amplification of risks,
precaution, criticising
hierarchical culture
war, terror jeopardizing their
power, but tend to neglect
future risks
reductionist,
depoliticising,
emphasis of
measurability
individualistic culture
state control, limitation to
freedom which may interrupt
their free market activity
acceptance and
deflection
fatalistic culture
natural disasters as
punishment of superior
power, hence unavoidable
neutral position
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Cultural Types in Comparison
WUHAN
China
COLOGNE
Germany

Dominantly hierarchical

Hierarchical

Trend of individualistic way of life

Egalitarian

Individualistic
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Integrated Approach: a Universal Concept?

Top-down vs. bottom-up

Hierarchy vs. participation

State responsibility vs. individual responsibility

Stakeholders vs. actors

...
Political and cultural change can only ideally take place from within – Johnson, 1991
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Towards a Balanced Risk Mitigation Concept
Thank you
for your
attention!
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