Flood safety in the Netherlands: The Dutch response to Hurricane Katrina

Wesselink, Anna J. (2007) Flood safety in the Netherlands: The Dutch response to Hurricane Katrina. Technology in Society, 29 (2). pp. 239-247. ISSN 0160-791X

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Abstract:	In this paper, I discuss why the Dutch culture, although highly technological, remains vulnerable to flooding, with no apparent choice except to continue with its historically developed system for flood risk management. I show that this vulnerability is socially constructed. It has arisen as a result of a long history of technological choices the current political decisions related to financing and a general lack of risk awareness. The question whether there is a need or even a possibility to escape from the present technological lock-in seems to remain out of bounds for a society that imagines flood protection to be absolute. The need for similar absolute protection was demanded in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina caused extensive flooding there. Because of its circumstances and its much shorter history, New Orleans appears to have an opportunity to deal with flood risk in more creative ways.
Item Type:	Article
Copyright:	© 2007 Elsevier
Faculty:	Engineering Technology (CTW)
Research Group:	Water Engineering and Management (WEM)
Link to this item:	http://purl.utwente.nl/publications/78844
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2007.01.010
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