SGER: The Parallel Strengths and Weaknesses of the Civil Society and the State: The Example of Katrina Survivors

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This research project investigates the ways in which the actions of governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations affect the ability of disaster victims to recover psychologically, economically, and socially, while dealing with grief and loss and adapting to new situations. The response to hurricane Katrina makes it clear that local human services organizations, while extremely valuable, are unable to address the full range of needs of disaster victims, and that federal and state governments must provide basic coordination, as well as large-scale resources. By examining both the failures and successes of both governmental and nongovernmental organizations in response to the human crisis the research provides practical insights into the most effective division of roles between different levels of government and civil society. The wide-ranging crisis precipitated by Hurricane Katrina provides the opportunity to better understand the complementary roles of government, non-governmental organization, and the smaller informal networks composed of relatives and friends in determining the long-term consequences of disasters, as well as more chronic difficulties. The data relate to the period most proximate to the disaster and represent an invaluable baseline on which future research will build. The research team will identify and contact a diverse group of evacuees to Texas and remain in contact with them over time in order to identify how the actions of various agencies influences a family's long-term adaptation. The panel of evacuees will consist of individuals from various racial and ethnic groups and will represent different socioeconomic strata. Ethnographically oriented interviews investigate families' situation and activities prior to the storm, and their activities and movements during the storm and afterwards. The interviews focus specifically on contact with all forms of help providers, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and more informal community and kin networks. The objective is the development of a qualitative database that will make it possible to develop generalizations concerning the different ways in which evacuees sought and received help, and how their strategies related to their race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, their personal resources and the eventual outcomes. The project includes on-going follow-up with evacuees over the period of a year. The study is being carried out in Austin, Texas, which received a substantial population of evacuees and sponsors a range of helping organizations.This research contributes theoretically and practically to a better understanding of how both governmental and non-governmental organizations enhance resiliency and mediate the impact of loss on human behavior, social inequities in disaster relief efforts, and the relationship of individual capabilities to the effective access to both government and civil supports and benefits.