ABSTRACT
To better understand the practical realities of this work, a brief survey of materials descriptive of conventional practice in the fields of emergency preparedness, emergency preparedness education and community media, especially radio, is undertaken and many harmful imbalances of thought and practice are revealed. A redefinition of disasters from a Critical Theory, power dynamics perspective is examined. It becomes clear that the causes and impacts of emergencies are dramatically affected by power and resource disparity. New literature, materials and strategies for learning about emergency preparedness through the lens of Critical Theory and the Integral Worlds Approach are introduced, emphasizing experiential learning, storytelling and group interaction as facilitators of transformational learning.
A new approach called the Intecritical Action Research-to-Innovation Conceptual Framework is introduced which combines Critical Theory with the Integral Worlds Approach to form the foundation of a global/local analytical framework. Through examples from around the world, Strategies for applying the Intecritical Framework through participatory community-building are also discussed. It is emphasized that many of the solutions proposed in this chapter can be applied to the development of economic sustainability and community-based economic enterprise.
