Anthropological Research on Hazards and Disasters

When I think of highly-advanced, technology-based societies, Japan is one of the first places that comes to my mind. Oliver-Smith’s article, however, allowed me to realize that no matter how developed and prosperous a country is, it is incomplete if it cannot prevail against the unstoppable forces of nature. Oliver-Smith states: “In effect, if a society cannot withstand without major damage and disruption a predictable feature of its environment, that society has not developed in a sustainable way” (pg 304).  Although Japan and other major countries are successful in a variety of social and technological fields, there is still much we all have to learn in order to live safely and effectively alongside Mother Nature. This ideal also relates to Oliver-Smith’s point regarding how man plays a part in “natural” disasters. Because Japan utilizes nuclear power plants to provide power for the cities and holds a large population in an apparently dangerous area, it has actually sacrificed the safety of its people as it has grown and developed. The same can be said for a variety of other advanced nations, although the cause of danger may be somewhat different. At the moment it appears that there is not and may never be a solution to achieving a balance between a country’s progression and its safety, but hopefully this will not lead to an even more devastating effect on Japan or other nations across the globe.

I am glad to say that Japan doesn’t seem to fit one of Oliver-Smith’s examples in the article regarding unequal distribution of aid and goods based on various forms of discrimination. While other countries such as India may delegate goods based on class in a time of crisis, I believe that Japan’s strong sense of national identity will prevent distribution discrimination if a country-wide disaster ever occurs. I also feel that Japan as a unified nation will not succumb to dependency on other nations or loss of culture and community as explained by Oliver-Smith. Japan appears to be rather stable in terms of culture, the government, and economic classes, and so I don’t believe the country will encounter any major uprisings or changes to everyday life (whether this is good or bad, I can’t exactly say). On a slightly different note, I am somewhat curious but worried about the future of the relationship between northern and southern Japanese residents. After the earthquake and tsunami occurred, a strong dislike of the city-dwellers was advocated by the direct victims of the disaster – those who worked to help provide power for Tokyo suffered while those living in Tokyo were much less affected. I wonder if this disaster will lead to a greater divide within the country and if Japan’s sense of nationalism will decline, and what effects these changes would have on the society if another disaster occurs.

As the article states, disasters can be “the best of times and the worst of times”, and we can only hope that this horrific event can help to pull the nation together rather than tear it apart.