The Impact of Natural Disasters on Systemic Political and Social Inequities in the U.S. examines how natural disasters impact social inequality in the United States. The contributors analyze natural disasters such as Hurricane Maria to show how these events influence the ways political and social inequality change over time. The contributors cover topics such as criminal justice, demographics, economics, history, political science, and sociology to show how effects of natural disasters vary by social and economic class in the United States. Ultimately, the contributors conclude that natural disasters and emergencies make political and social inequality worse. The Impact of Natural Disasters study social and political mechanisms in disaster response and relief that enable natural disasters to worsen inequalities in America and offers potential solutions.

Contributions by: Paul S. Adams, Amílcar Antonio Barreto, Dennis Feaster, Timothy J. Holler, Pamela Ray Koch, Reneè D. Lamphere, Peter Loebach, Ariane Prohaska, Julie Stewart, Geoffrey L. Wood