Place attachment and disasters: Knowns and unknowns

Mehdi Jamali, MS; Ali Nejat, PhD

doi:10.5055/jem.2016.0299

Authors

Mehdi Jamali, MS
Ali Nejat, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2016.0299

Keywords:

place attachment, postdisaster recovery, location bonding

Abstract

When considering the factors important for disaster recovery, one must consider the attachment individuals have toward their living area. This article reviews and synthesizes the current literature on the determinants of place attachment in the context of postdisaster recovery. Although the majority of the reviewed articles focused on disaster recovery, there were some which had a broader scope and were included due to their importance. This research categorizes the determinants of place attachment into four categories: demographic, socioeconomic, spatial, and psychosocial. Age, ethnicity, and religion were grouped under the category of demographics. Job status, education, and property ownership were categorized under the socioeconomic category. Attachment to home, neighborhood, and city, together with attachment to rural and urban areas, were grouped under the spatial category. Finally, mental health status and community attachment were classified under the psychosocial heading. Based on the outcome of the aforementioned synthesis, this article develops a conceptual framework to guide future research.

Author Biographies

Mehdi Jamali, MS

PhD Student, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

Ali Nejat, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

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