ABSTRACT
The 1984 methyl isocyanate release at Bhopal, India reinvigorated chemical hazards research within the disaster community. Yet, much of this work remains in case study form examining the causes, consequences, and policy implications of discrete failures such as Bhopal (Bowonder et al, 1985; Shrivastava, 1987a, b, c; Bogard, 1987, 1989), Seveso (Whiteside, 1979), and other smaller releases of chemicals (Cutter et al, 1980; Hazen et al, 1980; Tierney, 1980; Timmerman, 1980; USFEMA, 1980; Whyte et al, 1980; Liverman and Wilson, 1981; Quarantelli et al, 1984; Johnson, 1985). While case studies are instructive, a much broader view of chemical hazards is now warranted. As Kirby (1990) suggests, hazards theory needs to refocus to incorporate the social construction of hazards, their historical antecedents, and the institutions that govern the management of hazards. In other words, hazards need to be placed in their historical, social, and political contexts (Palm, 1990). The need to examine these issues is most relevant to hazards resulting from technological failures because of the ways in which society governs and responds to the use and misuse of technology.
